SHORT STUDIES 

OF 

OLD TESTAMENT HEROES 

EMMA A. ROBINSON 

MO 

CHARLES H. MORGAN 




Book J?4 

riOp}Tiglit N" 

COPYI^UIHT DEPOSIT. 



. SHORT STUDIES 

OF 

OLD TESTAMENT HEROES 



By 
EMMA A. ROBINSON 

AND 

CHARLES H. MORGAN 




CINCINNATI: JENNINGS AND GRAHAM 
NEW YORK: EATON AND MAINS 



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II3»»«V ^ CONGRESS 

OCT 4 t906 

Oi-ASSA XXo. Ha 
OOPY8 



COPYRIGHT, 1906, BY 
JENNINGS AND GRAHAM 



With 

A Sincere Desire 

THAT these Short Stories of some of 

the Men and Women of the Old Testament 

May, through the Holy Spirit, be made 

A Means of Nobler Life 

TO all who Use Them, 

THE Authors especially 

Dedicate the Book to 

THE Juniors. 



INTRODUCTION 

The world will never cease to love the heroic, 
whether it is found in man or woman, boy or girl. 
Even better is the fact that people are rapidly learn- 
ing that heroes are not all of the same pattern, and 
that they are to be discerned in quiet scenes no less 
than in those of war and adventure. 

For a long time the Old Testament has been a 
wonderful book of heroes, because of the interest 
aroused by some of its characters, but the circle of 
these is growing wider, as the real spirit and work 
of others come to be known, so that now Abel, Amos, 
and Isaiah are felt to be heroic, along with David, 
Josiah, and Daniel. Then the great value of these 
and other characters of the Bible is that they are 
heroes for God and goodness, for right and for the 
true religion, and not merely for something that ends 
with this world. 

The brief Studies of these Old Testament men 
and women, making up the body of this text-book, are 
arranged to meet in every way the demand of those 
who wish a short and simple Bible course. If any 
classes wish to use a less number than twenty-five as 
a course it can be done. The fifteen best fitted, in 
the judgment of the authors, to form a course of that 
number of lessons, include the full list marked by one 
star or two stars before the title, on page 9, and those 
marked by two stars can be used as a course of eight 



Introduction 

lessons ; but other selections can be made as classes may 
prefer. 

The following suggestions may be of help to.leaders 
and students: 

1. In presenting this outline for study the authors 
have endeavored to give as complete an outline as pos- 
sible, suggesting that each superintendent take up such 
part of the study as she feels can be most effectively 
used In her own chapter. When It Is found Impossible 
to secure home work, It Is recommended that only such 
parts be used as can be accomplished during the study 
period of the Junior hour. The Hero Story note-book 
work can easily be done In this time. 

2. The first and constant aim of the leader should 
be to get the members of the class not only to have the 
text-book, which each needs^ but to possess their own 
copies of the Bible, and to use them In their work with 
the Studies. Nothing can take the place of this per- 
sonal acquaintance with the Bible by owning a good 
copy, handling and reading it, and using It for the 
Memory Verse, the Bible Picture and the Search Ques- 
tions. 

3. As the Memory Verse forms only a few lines 
to be committed to memory during a week, or the time 
given to a lesson. It Is recommended that It be so used 
as far as possible. While the Revised Version of the 
Bible Is of great value, the Authorized Version Is the 
one used for the Memory Verses, and for most of the 
quotations in the text-book, because it is still the one 
best known. 

4. The several Scripture passages which make up 
the Bible Picture for a lesson can be read at one or 



Introduction 

more sittings, or they can be used as a daily reading, 
as each one prefers. 

5. The Hero Story should be carefully read by each 
member of the Intermediate section. Each should be 
supplied with a note-book, or better still with manu- 
script paper, as the latter will Insure neater work. The 
design Is that each shall make his own hero book. The 
Hero Story should be written from memory, allowing 
reference to the Bible when incidents have been for- 
gotten. 

Just as much Individuality and originality as pos- 
sible should be encouraged. The stories may be Illus- 
trated with pictures, maps, drawings, as each may de- 
sire. When completed, covers of water-color paper 
may be decorated and all tied with the Epworth League 
colors. These books may be made very attractive and 
valuable. Answers to the Search Questions may be put 
in the books when so desired, also the Memory Verses. 

6. Have a member of the class act as class artist, 
to prepare, In enlarged form, maps, mottoes, and other 
designs. If there Is enough talent In the class for such 
work, appoint a new one for the latter half of a course, 
or even for each month. It will not take special ability 
or training to serve as class artist. The plans and 
points In the text-book make the work plain. Maps 
can be put on the back of a Sunday school leaf-cluster 
of a previous quarter, but will be more durable If made 
on muslin or curtain holland, and tacked to a strip of 
wood or a curtain roller, using a red and blue pencil 
or colored crayon, or water-colors or ordinary Ink, 
put on with a brush. In many cases, two small bottles 
of Ink, one black or blue, the other red, and one or two 

5 



Introduction 

small brushes, will give good results. Lay the sheet on 
which the map or design is made to be on a table, trace 
the outlines in pencil, and then simply make the lines 
strong by using ink with the brush. Do not attempt to 
color the surface of countries, in ordinary map work, 
but only mark strongly with ink the boundary lines. If 
surfaces are to be colored, use light washes of water- 
color and when dry mark the boundaries with water- 
color or ink. Put in very few names. 

7. The Heart Talk and Prayer are meant to be a 
means of getting the spiritual good out of the lesson, 
which is the supreme end of all Bible study. The 
study should close with the repetition of the prayer 
selected for the day. 

8. Class Work- The Hero Story should be 
read or told each week by a leader, previously appointed 
from among the Juniors, who should not only read the 
story, but call for the references, ask questions, call 
upon the class artist to locate places referred to or ex- 
plain plan, and bring out points of interest that have 
been found through the reading of the Bible Picture. 

The books should then be closed and some one 
called upon to give the story from memory, other mem- 
bers of the class supplying the facts omitted. 

Time should be given for note-book work, each 
being allowed to reproduce the story in his own way, 
either in outline or story form, illustrating it as fully 
as possible. A certain number of maps or charts should 
be required. 

It may be found more desirable in some cases to 
have the story work one week, putting the same into 
the note-books the week following. 

6 



Introduction 

g. Many leaders will find the help they may need 
in a Teacher's Bible or a Bible dictionary, but others 
may wish to obtain one or more books best fitted to 
aid them in their work. The list given below is recom- 
mended for such purpose. Barnicott, the first in the 
list, covers nearly all the Studies, but has little or 
nothing on Ruth, Job, or the prophets. If Beardslee, 
the second in the list, is added, the two books will cover 
all the Studies. Price of Barnicott and Beardslee, 
prepaid^ $1.65. 

Barnicott. A Primer of Old Testament History. 
Price, 34 cents. 

Beardslee. Outlines of an Introduction to the Old 
Testament. Price, $1.32. 

(Covers Ruth, Job, Amos, Isaiah, Esther, and 
Daniel, which are not treated in the books which 
follow. ) 

Scott. Life of Abraham. Price, 23 cents. 

Sayce. Joseph and the Land of Egypt. Price, 34 
cents. 

Iverach. Life of Moses. Price, 23 cents. 

Bennett. Joshua and the Palestinian Conquest. 
Price, 34 cents. 

Paterson. The Period of the Judges. Price, 23 
cents. 

(Covers Deborah and Gideon.) 

Salmond. Eli, Samuel, and Saul. Price, 23 cents. 

Knox-Little. David the Hero King of Israel. 
Price, 34 cents. 

(Also covers Jonathan.) 

Winterbotham. Life and Reign of Solomon. 
Price, 23 cents. 

7 



Introduction 

Maclntyre. Elijah and Elisha. Price, 23 cents. 

Robsoh. Jeremiah the Prophet. Price, 23 cents. 

Harvey- Jellie. Ezekiel: His Life and Times. 
Price, 23 cents. 

Adams. The Minor Prophets. Price, 23 cents. 

( Covers Amos. ) 

Davidson. The Exile and the Restoration. Price, 
23 cents. 

(Covers Ezekiel and Nehemiah.) 

Except Beardslee^ w^hich is cloth-bound, 8vo, 215 
pp., all the above list are Bible Handbooks and 
Primers, averaging about one hundred pages each. 
Any one or more sent prepaid at prices named, and en- 
tire list of fifteen books sent prepaid for $4.75. The 
text-book, cloth, single copy, 50 cents; in lots of 10 
or more to one address, carriage extra, 35 cents; paper, 
in any quantity, 25 cents. The text-book and the 
above-named and other books should be ordered, vi^ith 
cash in form of bank draft or post-office or express 
order of Jennings and Graham, Cincinnati, Chicago, 
Kansas City, San Francisco ; or Eaton and Mains, New 
York, Boston, Pittsburg, Detroit. All correspondence 
relating to the organization and conducting of study 
classes, and all requests for information should be ad- 
dressed to The Bureau of Bible Study, 

57 Washington Street, Chicago, 111. 



CONTENTS 

Study Page 

I. *The Battlefield Prepared, - - - - ii 

II. Abel a Hero of Righteousness, - - - 17 

III. *NoAH A Hero Preacher and Builder, - - 22 

IV. ** Abraham a Hero of Faith, . . . 27 
v. *JosEPH A Hero Servant in Egypt, - - - 32 

VI. *^MosES a Hero Leader and Lawgiver, - 37 

VII. *JosHUA a Hero General, - - - -43 

VIII. Deborah a Patriot Heroine, . . . 48 

IX. Gideon a Hero Judge, 53 

X. Ruth a Heroine from Moab, . . . 57 

XL **Samuel a Hero of Truthfulness, - - 63 

XII. **David a Hero Shepherd Boy and King, - 68 

XIII. Jonathan a Hero Friend, - - - - 73 

XIV. Solomon's Heroic Choice of Wisdom, - 78 
XV. **Elijah a Hero on Carmel, - - - - 83 

XVI. Amos a Hero at Bethel, . . - . 88 

XVII. **IsAiAH A Hero Statesman, - - - - 92 

XVIIL *Job a Suffering Hero, . . . . 98 

XIX. *Josiah a Hero Reformer in Judah, - - 102 

XX. Jeremiah a Hero During hts Country's Fall, 106 

XXL Ezekiel A Hero Priest OF the Exile, - - 110 

XXIL **Daniel A Hero with a Purpose, - - 115 

XXIII. Esther's Queenly Heroism at Shushan, - 120 

XXIV. *Nehemiah a Heroic Builder of the Walls, 125 
XXV. **The Hero of Heroes Pictured in the Old 

Testament, 131 

9 



LIST OF PLANS 

Plan Page 

1. The Garden of Eden, .--... 14 

2. Abel and Cain, 19 

3. The Ark, 24 

4. Main Journeys of Abraham, . . . . 29 

5. Joseph and Moses in Egypt, 34 

6. Journeyings of the Children of Israel Led by 

Moses, 39 

7. Joshua's Campaigns and Battles, ... 45 

8. Plain of Esdraelon and Northward in Galilee, - 50 

9. Country of Naomi and Ruth, . . - . 60 

10. The Country of Samuel, - - - - - ' 65 

11. Kingdom of David and Solomon, . . . 70 

12. Southern Palestine in the Time of David and 

Jonathan, 75 

13. Jerusalem in the Time of Solomon, - - - 80 

14. Palestine in the Days of Elijah, . - - 85 

15. Jerusalem in the Time of Isaiah, - - - - 94 

16. Chief Countries Where the Jewish People Were 

in Exile, 112 

17. The Two Companies Walking on the Walls, - 127 

18. The Greatest Hero that was to Come, - - 133 

10 



SHORT STUDIES 

OF 

OLD TESTAMENT HEROES 



Study I. 
THE BATTLEFIELD PREPARED. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

And God saw everything that he had made and 
behold it was very good'* Gen. 1:31. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. The Preparation Begun. Gen. i : 1-19. 

2. The Preparation Continued. Gen. 1:20-31. 

3. The Preparation Completed. Gen. 2: 1-3. 

4. The Animals Named. Gen. 2 : 1 8-20. 

5. The First Battle Lost— The Hero Fallen. Gen. 
3:6, 12-19. 

6. The battlefield Changed. Gen. 3 : 22-24. 

7. God's Goodness to Adam and Eve. Gen. 3: 
20, 21. 

STORY. 

A new world! It is hard to imagine: even with 

the eyes shut, it is hard to think of this world without 

a human being in it; without cities or railroads; not 

a telegraph pole, or even a farm house to be seen. 

II 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

Just hills, valleys, mountains, and rivers. All the 
beauty of the flowers and trees, the sunset and the 
clouds, and no one to enjoy it. The lion, the tiger, 
and the buffalo w^ander over the plains; the horse, 
the cow, and the lamb lie down at night under the 
trees. But all this beauty and comfort was intended 
for someone who could make good use of it. It is 
a land fit almost for the dwelling-place of God himself, 
but his home is in heaven. There must be someone to 
rule over this land, someone who will make the most 
of it. After looking over the animals and finding 
none equal to the task God makes a being like himself, 
in his own image, and places him in the most beautiful 
spot in all this world he has made. This place he calls 
the Garden of Eden. But that man may not be 
alone, he makes one to be with Adam, who shall be 
able to stand by his side, a helper, friend, adviser, com- 
panion. In the image of God he creates these two, 
and he gives them dominion over all things he has 
made. 

The animals look with surprise on these new crea- 
tures, but there is no fear; and as God causes them to 
come to Adam, they pass before him and he gives to 
each a name. 

In the cool of the evening God walks with Adam 
and Eve in the garden, and talks with them. As they 
talk together it may be that he tells them of the one 
tree, called the tree of the Knowledge of Good and 
Evil, of the fruit of which they must not eat. What 
was one tree among so many? They had far more 
than they needed without it ; but one day as Eve walked 
in the garden a serpent said to her, "Hath God said, 

12 



The Battlefield Prepared 

Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Eve 
replied that they could eat of all the trees except one, 
of that tree God had said, "Ye shall not eat of it, 
neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." The serpent 
said, **Ye shall not surely die." Then he told them 
that God knew that if they ate of it they would be 
as wise as he, and so he did not want them to eat of it. 

Watch Eve ; can you see the courage in her ? Does 
she scorn the serpent and walk away a true heroine? 
No, she thinks she will just look at that fruit. It does 
look fine, and she wonders how it tastes; she reaches 
up and feels of it. How fine it would be to know as 
much as God does. The fruit is picked and she eats it. 

Just then Adam comes to her and she oifers him the 
fruit. Does he see his chance to be a hero? No, he 
too eats of the forbidden fruit. Suddenly they find 
out that the serpent was right. They are wise, but it 
is not a happy kind of wisdom, for the first knowledge 
that comes to them is the knowledge that they have 
done wrong; next comes fear, for until they had dis- 
obeyed they did not know what it was to be afraid. 
They try to hide themselves from God, because they 
are ashamed to meet him. How fast they are growing 
wise! 

When God comes in the evening to walk in the 
garden with them, they do not want to see him. Did 
God want to see them? It must have been a great 
sorrow to him, to see that people made in his own 
image had not the courage to obey him. He could no 
longer allow them to live in this beautiful garden, and 
told them that they must now go out, and work for 
what they had. They must learn through work and 

13 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

hardship to be the true heroes that people made in 
God's image ought to be; but before they went, he 
promised that some day One should come into the 
world who would make it possible for all to be just 
such heroes. 

Lest having disobeyed and become wise in sin they 






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PERSIAN 
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Plan i. The Garden of Eden. 



should be tempted to try to come back and eat of the 
tree of life and so live forever, in the suffering which 
sin brings, "he placed at the east of the garden of Eden 
Cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every 
way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3 : 24). 

14 



The Battlefield Prepared 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

In Gen. 2 : 8 it is said that "the Lord God planted 
a garden eastward in Eden" (that is east of where the 
writer was) ; "and there he put the man whom he had 
fonned." Many now think that Eden was the name 
for the whole fertile plain along the Euphrates and 
Tigris Rivers, and the part called "the garden" may 
have been where the two rivers come nearest to each 
other. Of the four rivers (Gen. 2:10-14), which 
seem to have been connected and then to be "parted" 
(vs. 10), the Euphrates is well known, the Hiddekel 
is the Tigris, and the Pishon and Gihon were perhaps 
channels where canals were made at a later time. 
Plan I will help the members or the class artist to see 
where to place the garden. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. Where is it first said that God put Adam in the 
garden of Eden? 

2. What was Adam's work in the garden? 

3. What was he commanded not to do? 

4. Where is it stated that Adam did what God 
commanded him not to do? 

5. Where is it written that "as in Adam all die, 
even so in Christ shall all' be made alive?" 

HEART TALK. 

God has created each boy and girl in his own 
image. He has given to them the possibilities of good 
or evil, of heroism or cowardice, just as he did to Adam 
and Eve. Eve listened to the serpent. She had no 

15 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

idea of disobedience; but she listened, and then she 
began thinking of what the serpent had said. Next 
she looked at the forbidden fruit; then she touched It; 
she ate it, and Adam too ate, and their great oppor- 
tunity for heroism was lost. 

As with Eve, so it is in our lives. There is no 
danger of our yielding to any temptation however great 
if we utterly refuse to think about it. The moment 
we give it a place in our thoughts, Satan knows about 
it. The more we think about anything wrong the 
weaker we become, even though we are thinking that 
we will not yield. Let us keep our minds fixed on the 
right, and wrong will have little power over us. 

He is the truest hero who utterly shuts his mind 
against temptation by thinking about something else, 
for the knowledge of sin Is not a wisdom to be desired. 

PRAYER. 

*'Wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that 
I mny walk before God in the light of the living?** 

PsA. 56: 13. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

(The dates given are according to Ussher.) 
I. From the Creation. 4004 B. C. 
The Creation. 

The disobedience and fall of Adam and Eve. 
The expulsion from Eden. 



16 



Study II. 
ABEL A HERO OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

*^By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent 
sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that 
he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it 
he being dead yet speaketh." Heb. 11:4. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Birth. Gen. 4:1-2. 

2. Occupation. Gen. 4 : 2. 

3. OfEerings of the two brothers. Gen. 4: 3-7. 

4. Death of Abel. Gen. 4 : 8. 

5. My brother's keeper. Gen. 4 : 9. 

6. Punishment of Cain. Gen. 4: 10-15. 

7. Abel's righteous works, i John 3: 12. 

HERO STORY. 

When the tradesmen went among the Indians 
carrying with them their liquors they little realized 
the curse that the "fire water" w^ould become to that 
race. Adam did not realize that through his disobedi- 
ence sin w^ould come into all lives, but it was not many 
years before he saw some of its results. Into the home 
outside of Eden two boys were born, Cain the elder, 
and Abel his brother. Could it be the same world 
2 17 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

into which Adam came that these boys opened 
their eyes upon? There were the same mountains, 
hills, and rivers; the same trees and flowers, yes, and 
the same animals, but the enmity which God had said 
would be between man and the serpent seemed to 
extend to the other animals. They were not so happy 
together as they had been. Instead of the beautiful 
home where everything was provided for him, Adam 
was obliged to plow, and to plant and reap his own 
grain. It was hard work, for the thorns and the 
thistles grew as fast as the grain. But perhaps the 
greatest change of all was, that God no longer walked 
and talked with Adam in the cool of the day. 

Though God could not now talk with Adam face 
to face as he had done, he had not forgotten him. In 
some way he had taught Adam to worship him, by 
bringing to him offerings of the best that he had. 

As boys Cain and Abel had been taught to work, 
and they had also been taught to worship God. As 
they grew to manhood each decided upon an occupa- 
tion. Cain became a farmer and Abel a shepherd. 
When the feast day came both Cain and Abel brought 
an offering unto the Lord. God had not said that 
any one thing must be offered to him, but that each 
should bring of the best that he had, so Cain brought 
his offering of the things which grew on his farm, 
while Abel brought of his flocks. 

Up to this time there is nothing to tell us that there 
was any difference between the two brothers, except 
in their occupation, but when they offered their burnt 
offerings, God accepted the offering of Abel but re- 
fused that of Cain. How he made this known to them 

i8 



Abel A Hero of Righteousness 

the Bible does not tell, but that it was very plain to 
them there can be no doubt, for Cain was very angry. 
What was the difficulty? Was Abel's offering better 
or more valuable than Cain's? That was not the 
trouble. When Cain became angry that God did not 
receive his offering, God said to him, "If thou doest 
well, shalt thou not be accepted ? and If thou doest not 
well, sin lleth at the door?" 




Plan 2. Abel and Cain. 



Instead of trying again, first getting his own heart 
right with God, Cain became still more angry with 
God and with Abel, because God had commmended 
him. As he and Abel were In the field together, Cain's 
anger must have gotten control of him, for he rose 
up against his brother and killed him. 

It is probable that no one knew of this, for when 
God said to Cain, ''Where is Abel thy brother?" Cain 
replied, "I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?" 

Whether Cain really Intended to kill Abel or not 
no one can tell, but In this answer he lost his oppor- 
tunity to prove that he did not, and as a punishment he 

19 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

was obliged to go out into the world by himself, away 
from his home, his father and mother, and become a 
wanderer. The whole history of Abel's life is found 
in two or three verses, but those few verses have placed 
him on the roll of heroes whose names are mentioned 
in the New Testament as men of faith and righteous- 
ness. 

Adam had disobeyed God and brought sin into the 
world, but it was possible for his son, by faith, to 
offer unto God an offering which God testified was 
acceptable to him. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

Some simple design, as in Plan 2, may be used to 
show the contrast between the spirit and offerings of 
the two brothers, Abel and Cain. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. What business or work did Cain follow? 

2. What was Abel's work? 

3. Why, according to John, did Cain slay his 
brother ? 

4. Where does Christ say something about Abel? 

5. Where is it said that Christ's blood "speaketh 
better things than that of Abel?" 

HEART TALK. 

Not length of life nor great deeds are the test of 
righteousness. We are told of but one event in Abel's 
life, but it meant so much in the history of the world 
that 'centuries after the writer of the Epistle to the 

20 



Abel A Hero of Righteousness 

Hebrews mentions it. What was that event? He 
gave to God the best he had In the spirit of faith. 

To-day God does not ask for the first-fruits, either 
of the farm or the flocks, but he does ask for the best 
In our lives. Have we brought ourselves to him an 
acceptable offering, or are we only bringing to him 
that for which we have no other use? The offering 
which he will own and bless is our very best, our whole 
self. What kind of an offering are you bringing? 

PRAYER. 

'^Deliver me from bloodguiltinesSy O God, thou 
God of my salvation! and my tongue shall sing aloud 
of thy righteousness.'' PsA. 51 : 14. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

I. From the Creation. 4004 B. C. 

The disobedience and fall of Adam and Eve. 
The expulsion from Eden. 
Cain and Abel. 



21 



Study III. 
NOAH A HERO PREACHER AND BUILDER. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

"And Noah did according to all that the Lord com- 
manded him'* Gen. 7:5. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Family of Noah. Gen. 5:21-29. 

2. People of Noah's time. Gen. 6: 11-13. 

3. Noah commanded to build the ark. Gen. 6: 
14-16. 

4. Without and within the ark. Gen. 6: 17-21. 

5. The flood. Gen. 7: 1-5, 10-12, 23, 24. 

6. The waters dried up. Gen. 8: 1-14. 

7. God's covenant with Noah. Gen. 9: 8-17. 

HERO STORY. 

In the fifth chapter of Genesis we read the history 
of Adam's family. Among his descendants we find 
Enoch who ''walked with God: and he was not, for 
God took him," and Methuselah who lived to be nine 
hundred and sixty-nine years old. The grandson of 
Methuselah was Noah, the hero of the Ark. 

There is nothing in the world that takes so much 
courage as to stand alone. Noah lived in a time when 
the world was very wicked, so wicked that God was 

22 



Noah A Hero Preacher and Builder 

sorry he had made It. As last he determined that he 
would destroy not only the people, but every living 
thing that he had created (Gen. 6: 1-7). But as 
his eyes "run to and fro throughout the whole earth" 
(2 Chron. 16:9) he sees Noah, a man who in the 
midst of all this wickedness was courageous enough 
to live a righteous life. 

Then came the command to Noah to build the ark 
(Gen. 6: 12-16), and the warning of the flood. How 
foolish It must have seemed to the people about him to 
see Noah working away day after daj^ building this 
great ark. Who even heard of such a thing as a 
flood? Noah must be craz5^ What if It did rain 
forty days? Everj'one could go up on the hills and 
be safe. But Noah was not to be daunted. He fin- 
ished the ark as God had commanded (Gen. 6:22). 

Then came the word, "Come thou and all thy 
house Into the ark." So Noah and his wife and his 
three sons with their wives and two (or seven, Gen. 
6: 19; 7:2, 3) of all the living things that God had 
made went Into the ark, as he commanded, and the 
ark was closed. 

Still the people laughed. But it began to rain; it 
became a torrent; the valleys were filled with water; 
It rose to the tops of the hills, the mountain peaks were 
covered, and everything was destroyed except Noah 
and those that were In the ark. 

Forty days and forty nights It rained, and for one 
hundred and fifty days the water covered the earth. 
Then the ark rested on Mount Ararat. After forty 
days Noah sent forth a dove, but she found no resting- 
place and returned. The next week she was sent out 

23 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

again and returned with an oHve leaf in her mouth; 
the next week she returned not at all ; and Noah knew 
that the water was gone. He removed the covering 
of the ark and found the ground dry. 

How good it was to stand on the ground once 
more ! Noah showed his thankfulness by at once build- 
ing an altar and making an offering unto God. When 



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Plan 3. The Ark. 

God saw this he said that he would not again smite 
the earth, and later he made a covenant with Noah 
and his sons that he would not again send a flood upon 
the earth, and as a seal of this covenant he set a rain- 
bow in the heavens. 

Noah at once began to cultivate the land, as God 
had commanded him and his sons, and to replenish the 
earth. For three hundred years after the flood Noah 
stood before the people as the man whose faithfulness 
God had honored. 



24 



Noah A Hero Preacher and Builder 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

Let the class artist make an enlarged copy of 
Plan 3, that either by the artist or the leader of the 
class it may be shown that the ark had just about the 
same room in it as a frrst-class, modern steamship, and 
its shape was what such a big ship would be if made 
to float and not to go rapidly through the water. The 
cubit is reckoned as twenty-one inches long. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. How long was the ark in building? 

2. How many persons were in the ark? 

3. How many of each kind of clean animals and 
birds went into the ark? 

4. How many of other kinds not clean (meaning 
fit for sacrifice) ? 

5. What bird did Noah send out to find If the 
flood was over? 

6. What was the sign of God's covenant with 
Noah? 

HEART TALK. 

It is not easy to stand atone. The hardest thing In 
the w^orld is to do right when those about one make 
fun of him. It Is hard If just occasionally one must 
take such a stand, but when it comes to living day 
after day as God w^ould have one, whether anyone 
else does or not. It takes true courage. Only a genuine 
hero can do this. There Is no better place to make 
heroes than the school-room, or the play-ground. Are 
you a hero for God among your companions? 

25 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

PRAYER. 

*^0 continue thy lovingkindness unto them that 
know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in 
heart/' PsA. 36: lO. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

1. From the Creation to the Flood. 4004 to 

2348 B. C. 
The disobedience and fall of Adam and Eve. 
The expulsion from Eden. 
Cain and Abel. 
The birth of Shem. 
The translation of Enoch. 
Increasing wickedness in the land. 

2. The Flood. 2348 B. C. 



26 



Study IV. 
ABRAHAM A HERO OF FAITH. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

^^By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out 
into a place which he should after receive for an in- 
heritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing 
whither he went" Heb. ii : 8. 

BIBLE PICTURE. • 

1. Abraham's call. Gen. 12: 1-3. 

2. His obedience. Gen. 12:4, 5. 

3. His generosity. Gen. 13: 1-12. 

4. God's covenant Math Abraham. Gen. 17:1-9. 

5. Abraham tested. Gen. 22: 1-13. 

6. Abraham's reward. Gen. 22:15-18. 

7. Children of Abraham. Gal. 3 : 6-9. 

HERO STORY. 

In Ur of the Chaldees lived the family of Abra- 
ham. In some way they had heard the story of the 
true God. Perhaps they had heard it Indirectly from 
Shem the son of Noah. Shem had been alive at the 
same time with Methuselah, and he In turn had lived 
while Adam was still alive. Thus the story of the 
Creation may have come to Abraham. In the country 
where Abraham lived the people were moon-worshlp- 

27 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

ers, but he and his family worshiped God, and when 
God wanted to select a family who should be his 
chosen people and his representatives In the world, he 
selected Abraham and called him to go out Into a 
strange land. 

Abraham did not know where God would send 
him, but he took his family, and his flocks and herds, 
and started. Lot, his nephew, and his family went 
with him. 

Abraham never really came into possession of the 
laiid which God promised to his family. All his life 
he wandered from place to place, but wherever he 
went he built an altar to God (Gen. 12:8; 13: 18). 

God constantly tested Abraham in many ways. 
The promise was that his children should Inherit the 
land, but the years went by and he had no children. 
Again came the promise that his children should be as 
a multitude, and still he was childless. But his faith 
in God failed not (Gen. chapter 15). His name was 
changed by God from Abram to Abraham which means 
''father of a multitude" (Gen. 17: 1-6). 

The days came however when his heroic faith was 
rewarded; a son was born to him and named Isaac. 

But the times to show his faith were not over, for 
again comes the test (Gen. chapter 22). He is com- 
manded to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering to 
God. He does not hesitate. He starts on his journey 
to the appointed place, and prepares the wood for the 
fire, but in answer to Issac's question, ''Where is the 
lamb for a burnt offering?" he replies, "My son, God 
will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." His 
hand Is raised to slay his son, but even then his faith 

28 



Abraham A Hero o^ Faith 

does not falter. Does he kill him ? No, indeed ! God 
again speaks and proves that while the heathen nations 
may offer human sacrifice he will never be pleased with 
such an offering. Abraham turns, and lo, at his hand 
he finds a ram caught in the thicket, ready to be slain. 
God again honors Abraham's faith and promises 
him that his children shall be as the sand of the sea 
in numbers and shall triumph over their enemies. 







<r 



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EL 
^HEBRON OR 




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Plan 4. Main Journeys of Abraham. 

Abraham lived to be three hundred and seventy-five 
years old, and at his death gave all his possessions to 
Isaac. In James 2 : 23 we are told that Abraham's 
heroic faith was honored by his receiving the title 
"the friend of God." 



CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

In Plan 4, some of the main journeys of Abraham 
are marked out. From his native place, the old city 
of Ur, in the lower part of the Euphrates Valley, he 
first made the long journey with his father, Terah, 

29 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

600 miles northwest to Haran. See sections i, 2. 
Then sections 5, 6, 7 show how he came to Shechem 
in the Promised Land; 8 his way to Gerar; 9, the 
course when he went to Egypt; and 10, when he came 
back to Beersheba. Perhaps the class artist can enlarge 
this map, and make another of Palestine, and mark 
how, when Lot was captured, Abraham went from 
Hebron or Mamre to Dan, with his armed servants, 
defeated the enemy there, chased them still farther 
north, and then came back past Jerusalem (Gen. 14: 
11-24). 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. Where in Genesis is it written of Abraham that 
"he believed in the Lord ?" 

2. Where does it tell of Abraham praying for 
Sodom ? 

3. Where was Abraham buried? 

4. Find seven places in the Gospel of Matthew 
where the name Abraham is mentioned. 

5. Where does Jesus say, ''Before Abraham was, 
I am?" 

HEART TALK. 

It is easy to believe a thing is right, if we can see 
why it is so. It is not so hard to obey if we can see 
the reason for the command, but the heroism in obedi- 
ence comes in obeying when we do not understand or 
cannot see the reason. 

The boy who in obedience to his father's command, 
*Tie down flat. Quick!" dropped to the ground be- 
tween the rails, in front of a train and allowed It to 
pass over him, was a real hero. His father had seen 

30 



Abraham A Hero of Faith 

what he had not, that trains coming from opposite 
directions made escape impossible, and that his only 
safety lay in the order given. 

God's ways are sometimes beyond our understand- 
ing, but is n't it worth while to trust him even when 
we cannot see ? 

PRAYER. 

^'Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is de- 
voted to thy fear/' PsA. 119:38. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

2. From the Flood. 2348 B. C. 
The tower of Babel. 
The call of Abraham. 
The sojourn of Abraham In the Promised Land. 



31 



Study V. 
JOSEPH A HERO SERVANT IN EGYPT. 

MEMORY VEKSE. 

"And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a 
prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master 
the Egyptian/' Gen. 39 : 2. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Joseph the boy. Gen. 37: i-ii. 

2. A boy to be depended on. Gen. 37: 12-17. 

3. Sold into Egypt. Gen. 37: 18-28. 

4. A faithful slave. Gen. 39: 1-4. 

5. A trustworthy prisoner. Gen. 39 : 20-23. 

6. Faithfulness honored. Gen. 41 : 38-44. 

7. A man in whom God was well pleased. Gen. 

45:4-13. 

- HERO STORY. 

In Joseph, the great-grandson of Abraham, we find 
a man of the stuff of which heroes are made. When 
a boy he had a queer dream, which meant that he 
would occupy such a high position that not only his 
brothers, but his father and mother would bow down 
to him (Gen. 37: i-ii). He knew this would make 
his brothers, who were all older than he, angry, but 
in his time people believed in dreams, and he did not 
hesitate to tell this one. 

32 



Joseph A Hero Servant in Egypt 

A short time later, his father, wishing an important 
errand done, knew Joseph could be depended on, and 
sent him to carry a message to his brothers, who were 
a long way from home tending their flocks. The 
brothers, who were still angry with him on account of 
his dream, and because his father loved him the best 
of all his sons, seized him, and sold him to some traders 
who were going into Egypt (Gen. 37: 17-36). 

Now came the test. Could Joseph be a hero and 
a slave at the same time? It was not easy, but we 
find him in the home of his master Potiphar, so mag- 
nifying the work of a slave that he became a trusted 
overseer. Later made a prisoner on account of his in- 
tegrity, we find him occupying a position of honor, 
because the keeper found he was a man to be depended 
upon. Joseph was never greater than when a slave 
in the house of Potiphar, or a prisoner, but his dream 
was yet to be fulfilled. 

Pharaoh had a dream. His magicians failed to 
interpret it, and trouble was in the land. God gave 
Joseph the interpretation, which meant salvation for 
Egypt during the seven years of famine. Pharaoh 
honored this slave, who came to him from prison, by 
making him the greatest man in his kingdom, and 
giving him great power. During the seven years of 
plenty, under his direction, corn was stored up for 
seven years of famine. Then came the great scene in 
the life of Joseph, when it was in his power to get even 
with his brothers, or to save them and his father. He 
was too great to even think of revenge. Did he think 
of his dream ? We do not know, but his brothers must 
have remembered it. Did they bow down to him? 

3 ZZ 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

(See Gen. chapters 42, 45.) How did he show his 
nobility and kindness? By forgiving and loving those 
who had tried to injure him, and by securing from 
Pharaoh a home for his father's family in the land of 
Goshen (Gen. 47:1-12). 

Through the position which Joseph occupied, and 



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the work which he did for Egypt, a home was secured 
for the children of Israel for four hundred years; and 
here they grew from the little family of seventy people, 
to the great nation which God led back into the land 
of Canaan. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 
From the' plain of Dothan (Gen. 37:17) about 
fifteen miles north of Shechem. the Midianite traders 



34 



Joseph A Hero Servant in Egypt 

who bought Joseph would go southward by a road 
not far from the seacoast. They would enter Egypt 
by the road called in later times the "Way of the 
Philistines" and this would take them to Tanis or 
Zoan, which was the capital of Egypt at that time. 
When Joseph's father and his brothers moved to 
Egypt, they would come by the road called the "Way 
of Shur" which means the "Way of the Wall," and 
they went to Goshen. 

The class artist may make an enlarged map from a 
part of Plan 6 (see next Study) showing the course 
of Joseph from Hebron, where he left his father, to 
Shechem, then to the Plain of Dothan, where he was 
sold by his brothers, and taken by the Midianites down 
into Egypt. See Plan 6, sections a, b, c. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. How old was Joseph when the Bible first speaks 
of him ? 

2. How many brothers did he have? 

3. Which brother showed most regard for Joseph 
when he was being sold? 

4. What were the names of Joseph's two sons? 

5. How old was Joseph when he died? 

6. Where is this Joseph mentioned in the New 
Testament ? 

HEART TALK. 

Did you ever hear it said that "Man makes 
his position, not the position the man?" It made 
no difference what Joseph had to do, he made that 
position great. What was the secret of this? Joseph 

35 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

was a boy who could be depended upon. When his 
father asked him to do anything, he knew it would be 
done, and that he need give it no more thought. When 
he was a slave, his master found that not only was he 
faithful in his own work, but that he could be de- 
pended upon to shoulder responsibility. 

But why was Joseph always to be depended upon? 
The Bible says, "Because God was with him." So 
to-day the boys and girls who are to be depended upon 
are the ones of whom it may be said, "The Lord is 
with them." 

PRAYER. 

''Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will 
have respect unto thy statutes continually." PsA. 
119: 117. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

2. From the Flood to the Exodus. 2348 to 1491 
B. C. 
The tower of Babel. 
The call of Abraham. 

The sojourn of Abraham in the Promised Land. 
The stories of Isaac and Jacob. 
Joseph sold into Egypt. 
The descent of Jacob's family into Egypt. 



36 



Study VI. 
MOSES A HERO LEADER AND LAWGIVER. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

"He made known his ways unto MoseSj his acts 
unto the children of Israel/' PsA. 103 : 7. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Birth and youth of Moses. Ex. 2: I-IO. 

2. First heroic deed for Jiis people. Ex. 2: 11-15. 

3. Call to leadership. Ex. 3 : i-io. 

4. Delivers the Israelites out of Egypt. Ex. 12: 

29-31; 14: 15-31. 

5. Brings them the law. Ex. 20: 1-17. 

6. Sets up the tabernacle. Ex. 40: 18-38. 

7. Death of Moses. Deut. 34:1-8. 

HERO STORY. 

The days came when Egypt had a new king who 
knew not. Joseph. The Israelites had become a great 
people. Each of the sons of Joseph was now the head 
of a tribe, and the Egyptians feared they would become 
a strong nation, so they made slaves of them and treated 
them very harshly. 

But God had not forgotten his people. The baby 
Moses, so miraculously saved, was now a grown man. 
He saw the cruel treatment his people were receiving 

37 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

and would not remain in Pharaoh's family. Seeing an 
Egyptian abusing one of the Israelites, he killed him, 
thinking his people would understand. They did not, 
and he was obliged to flee from the anger of the king 
to the land of Midian. He spent forty years there, 
serving his father-in-law as a shepherd. While he was 
there, God spoke to him, and sent him back to lead 
his people out of Egypt. Pharaoh did not wish to let 
the Israelites go, but through the plagues, God showed 
him that his power was greater than that of any king. 
At last Pharaoh told them to go. 

Moses led the children of Israel across the Red 
Sea, which God divided that they might pass over; 
but he found that he had a great body of people with- 
out any laws or any plan of government. They were 
not ready to meet the hardships of such a journey, and 
murmured against Moses, and blamed him for the lack 
of food and water, and for other troubles. 

At the advice of Jethro, Moses organized the peo- 
ple into companies of fifties, of hundreds, and of thou- 
sands, with rulers over each company, while he himself 
was still the leader, or head of all. But such a com- 
pany of people needed some laws as well as rulers, and, 
as they drew near to Mount Sinai, God called Moses 
into the Mount and gave him laws for the government 
of the people. These laws were written on tables of 
stone, and we now call them the Ten Commandments. 
In addition to these, God gave them other laws. 

One thing more was needed before the Israelites 
could really be a nation, and that was a place in which 
to worship God and learn his will, and Moses was 
again called up into the sacred mountain where God 

38 



Moses A Hero Leader and Lawgiver 



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Moses. 



39 



Short Stones of Old Testament Heroes 

gave him the pattern or directions for the tabernacle; 
and when It was finished he manifested his presence In 
it by a great light. 

As the Israelites drew near the promised land, spies 
were sent out, but owing to lack of faith on the part 
of most of these men and the people to whom they 
made their report, the tribes of Israel were turned back 
into the wilderness, where they wandered for forty 
years. Again and again the people rebelled against 
God, and he would have destroyed them had not Moses 
interceded. They murmured against Moses, and even, 
forgetting that It was their own lack of faith that was 
keeping them out of the promised land, wanted to go 
back to Egypt, but with wonderful patience and skill 
Moses turned them to God. The nations through 
which they passed made war upon them, but were 
driven back. During all this time Moses was their 
leader. He brought them back to the border of 
Canaan, east of the Jordan, and there he died, after 
serving the hardest term of leadership that any man 
could ever give his people. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

Plan 6 shows the course by which Moses led the 
Israelites from Goshen In Egypt till they came to 
Mount Nebo, near the Dead Sea, where Moses was 
taken from them. Sections i and 2 bring them to 
the crossing of the Red Sea, 3 to Mount Sinai, 4 to 
Kadesh-barnea (s and t show where they went up not 
led by Moses and were chased back to Hormah), 5 to 
Ezion-geber, 6 to Mount Nebo. The class artist can 
show these points on an enlarged map. 

40 



Moses A Hero Leader and Lawgiver 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. What "great sight" did Moses see when God 
called him to be a leader? 

2. Why could not Moses enter the Promised 
Land? 

3. Where Is It said that Moses "refused to be 
called the son of Pharaoh's daughter?" 

5. Who wrote that "the law was given by Moses, 
but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ?" 

6. Where does the Bible speak of "the song of 
Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb?" 

HEART TALK. 

Heroic leadership Involves the power to obey Im- 
plicitly. Moses could lead the children of Israel only 
as he obeyed God. So the boy or girl who desires 
to become a leader must first learn to follow. But 
there was a condition to the obedience of Moses; he 
obeyed because he trusted God absolutely. This Is 
the secret of all true obedience. If In your heart you 
are perfectly sure that God knows best, and that his 
ways are better than any plan you could make for 
yourself, you will not stop to question whether you 
will obey or not. 

PRAYER. 

^^So teach us to number our days, that we may 
apply our hearts unto wisdom. . . . And let the 
beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish 
thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of 
our hands establish thou it" PsA. 90: 12, 17. 

41 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

From the Descent of Jacob's Family into Egypt 
TO THE Death of Moses. 

The oppression of the Israelites. 
The birth of Moses. 
The call of Moses. 
The plagues. 
3. The Exodus. 1491 B. C. 

The Law given on Mount SInal and the Taber- 
nacle built. 
The wanderings In the wilderness. 
The death of Moses. 



42 



Study VII. 
JOSHUA A HERO GENERAL. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

"Have not I commanded theef Be strong and of 
a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dis- 
mayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whither- 
soever thou goest!* Josh, i : 9. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Joshua the young general. Ex. 17:9-13. 

2. Chosen as the successor of Moses. Num. 27: 
18-23; Josh. 1:1-5. 

3. The Jordan crossed. Josh. 3:9-17. 

4. Jericho taken. Josh. 6: 1-6, 12-16, 20. 

5. The defeat at Ai. Josh. 7: 1-6, 10, 11. 

6. The land divided. Josh. 14: 1-5. 

7. Jehovah chosen. Josh, 24: 14-18, 25-27. 

HERO STORY. 

Moses was dead. Israel was left without a leader? 
Oh, no, for in Numbers 27: 18-23 and Deuteronomy 
34:9, we read that while Moses still lived his suc- 
cessor was appointed, so the people could say in one 
breath, as the people of England do when a sovereign 
dies, "Moses is dead. God save our leader." 

Who was this leader? Where did God find him? 

43 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

In Exodus, chapter 17, Joshua is seen as Israel's brave 
young general; in Exodus, chapter 24, as the minister 
of Moses who went up into the Mount with him ; and 
in Numbers 14:38 as the spy whose life was safe 
because of his true report and his faith in God. 

Where could a better leader be found? But what 
a task lay before him! Canaan from east to west, 
from north to south, was inhabited by idolatrous peo- 
ple. This was the promised land, but heathen nations 
possessed it. They must be driven out. The Israelites 
were not trained warriors, they had always been farm- 
ers and shepherds, but God had commanded Joshua 
to go forward, "Be strong and of a good courage," 
and had given him the promise that he would be with 
him (Josh, chapter i). With God on his side, what 
had Joshua to fear? 

The Jordan rolled back before them; surely this 
was a good beginning. The people took courage; and 
confidence in Joshua increased. Jericho was encom- 
passed seven days, according to God's command, and 
the walls fell down without the loss of a man. For 
seven years Joshua led his army in the conquest of the 
land. He captured the southern cities; later, in a 
brilliant maneuver, he defeated the united armies of 
the north. Victory followed wherever he went, and 
the nations were driven out before him. 

Under the direction of God, the land was appor- 
tioned among the tribes ; and to each tribe was assigned 
the duty of completing the conquest of Its own terri- 
tory, as well as that of cultivating the land and mak- 
ing homes. To Caleb and his family was given the 
city of Hebron, according to the promise of Moses 

44 



Joshua A Hero General 




Plan 7. Joshua's Campaigns and Battles. 



made forty-five jeRrs before, that the land whereon 
his feet had trod, when as a spy he had gone into the 
promised land, should be given him as his inheritance 
forever, because he had wholly followed God. Josh. 
14:6-14. 

45 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

During these years Joshua strove to prevent the 
people being influenced by the heathen nations and 
to keep them loyal to God. When an old man he 
called them together, and after reviewing all that God 
had done for them, asked them to choose whom they 
would serve, and with one accord they replied that 
Jehovah should be their God. Having finished the 
work to which God called him, Joshua died, and was 
buried in a city that had become his in the division 
of the land. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

The class artist can make an enlarged map from 
Plan 7, and show how Israel, before their camp was 
made east of the Jordan, fought the battle of Jahaz, 
as they marched northward. There was also a north- 
eastern campaign and a battle at Edrei. After they 
crossed the Jordan, the camp was at Gilgal, and there 
were two main campaigns, and also a journey to Mts. 
Ebal and Gerizim to read the law. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. Where is it written that Moses said to Joshua, 
"Would God that all the Lord's people were 
prophets?" 

2. What other one of the ten spies gave a good 
report with Joshua? 

3. What people of Canaan played a trick and led 
Joshua to make peace with them? 

4. Where did Joshua read the law of Moses to the 
people ? 

5. How old was Joshua at his death? 

46 



Joshua A Hero General 

HEART TALK. 

Be strong and of good courage, for God will be 
with you. Sometimes it seems as though the odds were 
all against us, but God says, "Be strong and of good 
courage. I am with you." Surely the way can never 
look harder to us than it did to Joshua at times, but 
if God is on our side we may be of good courage. 

The 'strength that comes from standing firmly by 
a purpose and keeping a brave heart, is one of the very 
best qualifications for leadership. God knew this when 
he said to Joshua, over and over again, "Be courage- 
ous." So let this be the watchword. Keep up courage; 
God is with you, and the battle is yours ! 

PRAYER. 

*^Let God arise y let his enemies be scattered: let 
them also that hate him flee before him/^ PsA. 68 : I. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

3. From the Exodus to the Conquest under 
Joshua. 1491 to 145 i B. C. 

The Law given at Mount Sinai and the Taber- 
nacle set up. 

The wanderings in the wilderness. 

The death of Moses. 

Joshua appointed leader. 

The crossing of the Jordan. 

Jericho taken. 

A partial conquest of the land. 

Division of the land among the twelve tribes. 

Hebron the inheritance of Caleb. 

Cities of Refuge appointed. 

47 



Study VIII. 
DEBORAH A PATRIOT HEROINE. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

*'Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, 
when the people willingly offered themselves/' Judges 
5:2. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. A woman judge. Judges 4:4, 5. 

2. The campaign planned. Judges 4:6, 7. 

3. The weakness of Barak. Judges 4:8, 9. 

4. The battle. Judges 4: 14-16. 

5. The death of Sisera. Judges 4: 18-22. 

6. Song of Deborah and Barak. Judges 5: 1-3, I2. 

7. What the tribes of Israel did. Judges 5: 14-18. 

HERO STORY. 

Canaan had now become the Promised Land in- 
deed. The Israelites were practically its masters. 
Each tribe had its own territory and its own ruler or 
head, while God was honored as the great head of the 
nation. 

Occasionally the nations round about made war 
against some tribe, or tribes, or the children of Israel 
sinned against God, and he delivered them into the 
hands of the enemy. Then a leader would be needed. 
At such times God always had ready the leader, who 

48 



Deborah A Patriot Heroine 

was called a Judge. We find Samson, Gideon, Jeph- 
thah, and others rising to meet special needs, but such 
leaders were not all men. 

In Judges, chapter 4, we read of a time when Israel 
had forgotten God, and for twenty years the Canaan- 
Ites oppressed them. Israel stood little chance against 
the mighty hosts of SIsera, with his nine hundred 
chariots of Iron. In this great danger they cried unto 
God, and he gave to them a leader. 

In Mount Ephraim might be seen a palm tree; 
so rare were these trees in this part of the country, 
that the mere mention of the tree marked the place; 
under this tree lived the leader whom God had been 
preparing, a woman who was capable of being a great 
general. This woman, whose name was Deborah, is 
named as one of the judges in Israel ; she is also called 
a prophetess and a poet or singer, for she seems to have 
combined the three offices. When the Israelites turned 
to God for help, he revealed to Deborah the plan for 
the campaign. She sent for Barak and gave to him 
the directions, but he refused to go into battle unless 
Deborah also went, saying: "If thou wilt go with me, 
then I will go: but If thou wilt not go with me, then 
I will not go." Deborah replied that she would surely 
go with him, but that the honor of destroying SIsera 
and his army, would belong to a woman and not to 
him. 

. Barak called the forces of Zebulun and Naphtall 
to Kedesh and then led them to Mount Tabor (Judg. 
4: 10, 12), where others from the tribes of Issachar, 
Manasseh, Ephraim, and Benjamin join them (Judg. 
5:14, 15); so that the men of Israel went out to 

4 49 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 




Plan 8. Plain of Esdraelon and Northward in Galilee. 



battle ten thousand or more strong, and Deborah went 
with them. 

The army of SIsera was defeated and fled, and 

50 



Deborah A Patriot Heroine 

Barak and his men pursued and slew them all. Sisera 
himself escaped, and a woman, named Jael, by strategy, 
enticed him into her tent and there killed him. Thus 
the words of Deborah were fulfilled. Israel was de- 
livered from her enemies and peace restored, but a 
woman, and not Barak, destroyed the enemies' leader. 
A triumphal song commemorating this victory was 
sung, probably by Deborah herself. In this song the 
glory of the overthrow of Canaan was given to God 
first, then to Deborah and Barak as the leaders. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

Plan 8 shows a map of nearly all the places men- 
tioned in the story of Deborah and Barak. The home 
of Sisera was at Harosheth, near Mount Carmel, and 
that of Barak at Kedesh northwest of Lake Merom, 
while Jabin, king of the Canaanites lived at Hazor 
west of that lake. The battle was fought on the Plain 
of Esraelon, which was the chief battlefield of Pales- 
tine, and perhaps a heavy rain made the ground soft, 
so that Sisera's chariots could not do much harm to 
Barak's army, and when Sisera's men fled and were 
slain on the way toward Harosheth, the Kishon River, 
swollen by the rain, bore their bodies away, or swept 
some of those fleeing to their death (Judges 5:21). 
Sisera was killed near Kedesh (Judges 4:21). 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

I. To what place did Barak first gather the men 
of Zebulun and Naphtali? 



51 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

2. At what mountain did he then rally his whole 
army? 

3. How many chariots of iron did the enemy have? 

4. What other places in Plan 8 can you find in 
Judges, chapters 4, 5 ? 

HEART TALK. 

God uses in his service those who are ready when 
he has need of them. He does not wait for someone 
to get ready, but takes the one who is prepared. The 
opportunities to do big things in this world come to 
the one who through the faithful performance of the 
little things has showed his ability, and the honor 
is given to the one who does the work, and not to the 
one who wears the title. Barak failed in courage 
when his opportunity came. W2 too sometimes feel 
that we can do certain things if some one else goes 
with us, but God may want us to stand alone. Shall 
we be equal to this, or must we let some one else have 
the honor? Shall we be Deborahs or Baraks? 

PRAYER. 

^'O reme?nber not against us former iniquities: let 
thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are 
brought very low." PsA. 79:8. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

4. The Conquest and the Period of the Judges. 
Continued conquest. 

The greatest of the fifteen judges: Deborah, Gid- 
eon, Jephthah, Samson, and Samuel. 

52 



Study IX. 
GIDEON A HERO JUDGE. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

''And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, 
and said unto him. The Lord is with thee, thou mighty 
man of valor" Judges 6: I2. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. The MIdianite oppression. Judges 6: i-6. 

2. God's message to Israel. Judges 6:7-10. 

3. Gideon called to deliver Israel. Judges 6: 
11-23. 

4. The altar of Baal destroyed. Judges 6 : 25-29. 

5. The test of the fleece. Judges 6 : 36-40. 

6. Gideon's army sifted. Judges 7 : 3-8. 

7. The victory. Judges 7: 15-21. 

HERO STORY. 

Again Israel forgot God and the Midianites 
triumphed over them. For seven years, vi^hen the 
Israelites planted their fields, the Midianites and the 
Amalekites came up and destroyed their crops, they 
were "as grasshoppers for multitude," and left nothing 
for the children of Israel or for their flocks. 

As soon as trouble came the people remembered 
God, and once more he listened to their cry. A young 

53 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

farmer named Gideon, tall, straight, and strong, was 
busy threshing a little wheat, hidden by the wine press, 
lest the enemy come and take it away from him, when 
the angel of the Lord came and said to him, "Go in 
thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand 
of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?" 

Gideon could hardly believe it possible that God 
intended to deliver Israel through him, but the angel 
proved to him that he did, by sending fire to consume 
the present Gideon had made him. Gideon's first work 
was to erect an altar to God, and throw down the altar 
of Baal. Then having called together the forces of 
Mannasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtall, he again 
asks God for an assurance of victory, and God grants 
his request, testifying by the fleece, wet when all else 
was dry, and dry when all else was wet, that he 
would save Israel by the hand of Gideon. 

When the hosts are assembled God tells Gideon 
that the army is too large, that they will think they, 
instead of God, have gained the victory; and all who 
are fearful are commanded to return home. This re- 
duces the army by twenty and two thousand, but it Is 
still too large, and the test of lapping the water re- 
duced the number to three hundred. With this little 
band God promises to deliver Israel. Gideon divided 
the men into three companies, that they might surround 
the camp of the enemy. To each man he gave a lighted 
lamp placed inside a pitcher. This he was to carry in 
his left hand, while with his right he carried a trumpet. 
The order was to watch Gideon, and when he blew 
his trumpet they were to blow their trumpets, break 
their pitchers, and shout, "The sword of the Lord, 

54 



Gideon A Hero Judge 

and of Gideon." God fulfilled his word. The victory 
was complete and the Midianites were driven out. 

The men of Israel would have made Gideon king 
but Gideon refused, saying: "The Lord shall rule over 
you." After the death of Gideon the Israelites again 
turned away from God ; they also forgot to show kind- 
ness to the descendants of Gideon. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

The class artist can enlarge for this Study only 
the southeast part of Plan 8, showing Mount Gilboa, 
the Hill of Moreh, the Well of Harod, where Gideon 
tested his army and chose the 300, and the valley of 
Jezreel, down which he chased the foe across the 
Jordan. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. How many times did the Lord give some special 
sign to Gideon as a promise of victory? 

2. Where do we learn that Gideon was large and 
fine looking? 

3. Where does God promise Gideon that he will 
be with him? 

4. How does God encourage Gideon on the eve 
of battle? 

5. What tribe did Gideon fail to call to battle ? 

HEART TALK. 

It was a great thing for a young farmer lad to be 
called to the leadership of Israel. Many boys would 
have jumped at the chance, but Gideon waited until 
he was sure there was no mistake, that God really had 

55 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

chosen him. It must have taken a good deal of self- 
control when the people were suffering, and the cattle 
did not have enough to eat, and when he knew the 
honor that would come to the one who could overthrow 
the Midianites, but the control of self that could make 
him wait was just the trait of character that God could 
use to win that victory. The man or boy who can 
hold his desires and wishes under control is the one 
who can win the great victories. 

PRAYER. 

''The Lord our God be with us, as he was with 
our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us/* 
I Kings 8: 57. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

4. The Period of the Judges. 

Continued conquest. 

The greatest of the fifteen Judges; Deborah, 
Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, and Samuel. 



56 



Study X. 
RUTH A HEROINE FROM MOAB. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

^'The Lord recompense thy work, and a full re- 
ward he given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under 
whose wings thou art come to trust'* RuTH 2: I2. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. The family In Moab. Ruth i : 1-4. 

2. Naomi plans to return to her own country. 
Ruth 1 : 6-9. 

3. The faithful daughter-in-law. Ruth i : 14-18. 

4. The return to Bethlehem. Ruth i : 19-22. 

5. Ruth gleans in the field. Ruth 2: 1-7. 

6. The kindness of Boaz. Ruth 2 : 7-23. 

7. The marriage of Ruth and Boaz and birth of 
Obed, the grandfather of David. Ruth, chapter 4. 

HERO STORY. 

A famine swept over the land of Israel. Food be- 
came so scarce and so hard to get that Elimelech, with 
his wife Naomi, and his two sons moved from Beth- 
lehem Into the land of Moab, where they made a home 
and lived for many years. The boys grew up among 
the young people of this country, and after the death 
of their father each married a Moablte maiden. Naomi 

57 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

had a home with her sons as long as they lived, but 
both of them died, and then she wanted to go back to 
Bethlehem; for the famine was over and all her rela- 
tions were in that land. 

It was hard to leave Orpah and Ruth, her daugh- 
ters-in-law, for she loved them dearly, but she told 
them of her plans, and advised them to go back to 
their own people. They did not want to leave her, 
and went part of the way with her. After they had 
gone quite a distance, she stopped and said they must 
not go any farther. Orpah kissed her good-bye and 
returned, but Ruth would not leave her. When 
Naomi urged her she said, "Intreat me not to leave 
thee, nor to return from following after thee: for 
whither thou goest, I will go. . . . thy people 
shall be my people, and thy God my God." This 
meant not only that Ruth would go away from her 
own people to be with Naomi, but that she would give 
up the gods of her own country, and no matter how 
unhappy she was in the strange land to which she was 
going, she could not go back to her home. 

When Naomi saw that she really meant what she 
said, she let her go with her. After a long journey 
they came to Bethlehem. The old friends crowded 
round to welcome them, but Naomi's heart was sad, 
as she thought of the husband and boys who were with 
her when she went away from them. 

As soon as they were settled, Ruth began to look 
about for some way to take care of Naomi and herself. 
It was the time of the barley harvest, and it was the 
custom in that country for poor women to go out in 
the fields, and gather the grain that was dropped by 

58 



Ruth A Heroine From Moab 

the reapers. This was something that Ruth could do. 
She was a stranger, but that made no difference, so 
she went into a field and asked that she might glean 
after the reapers. She was kindly treated, and when 
the owner came into the field and saw a maiden whom 
he did not know, he inquired who she was. Learning 
that she was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, he told 
the reapers to be very kind to her and to drop some 
grain on purpose for her. He also spoke to Ruth and 
told her not to go to any other field, but to glean after 
his reapers just as long as the harvest lasted. He told 
her too to eat her lunch with his maidens, and to drink 
of the water brought into the field for the reapers. 

When the day was over Ruth hurried home with 
her grain. Naomi was waiting for her, and her eyes 
glowed with happiness, as Ruth told of all the kind- 
ness that had been shown her that day. Perhaps Ruth 
did not tell her that Boaz said that he had heard all 
the story of Ruth's love and kindness to Naomi, but 
when she had finished her story, Naomi had some news 
for Ruth. She said that Boaz was a near relation of 
theirs. 

All through the harvest Ruth gleaned in the fields 
of Boaz, and as he watched her, he learned to love 
her. He wanted to make her his wife, but in that 
country they had a custom that the nearest relation 
to a man must buy his land, and marry his widow, 
'and there was one man who was a nearer relative than 
Boaz. 

Boaz went to this man, but he said he could not 
buy the land and that Boaz might have it. Boaz took 
off his sho^ and gave it to the man, which was their 

59 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 



way of sealing a contract, and as the man who bought 
the land must also marry the widow, Ruth became the 
wife of Boaz, and a good home and comfort came not 
only to Ruth, but through her to Naomi. Ruth's 
little son Obed was the grandfather of David. 



JERU 



BETH \Vm?EDEBA 
PFOR \\KOfP^^ re 




M ASA DA 



Plan 9. Country of Naomi and Ruth. 
CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

It is not known just how far north of the Arnon 
River was held by Moab at the time of this lesson, 
but it is likely that the Moabites held the country 

60 



Ruth A Heroine From Moab 

as far north as Medeba and perhaps Heshbon. So the 
journey of Naomi from Bethlehem into Moab is not 
marked as going south of the Arnon, but only to the 
neighborhood of Dibon, which would be about 50 
miles. When she starts back, Orpah may have gone 
10 or 12 miles to x (Ruth i, 7), and then returned 
home, while Ruth goes on with Naomi to Bethlehem. 
So the course of Naomi in going is section i ; that of 
Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah, section 2; and that of 
Naomi and Ruth, section 3. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. Where is the land of Moab? 

2. What did Naomi tell the people to call her on 
her return to Bethlehem? Why? 

3. Why did Boaz show such kindness to Ruth? 

4. What did the people say to Naomi about Ruth 
in the fourth chapter, fifteenth verse? 

5. Who beside David descended from Ruth? 
Matt. 1:5-16. 

HEART TALK. 

The people said to Naomi, ''Thy daughter-in-law, 
which loveth thee, is better to thee than seven sons." 
We sometimes think that it takes great strength and 
courage to make a hero, but the strength and courage 
of seven men could not have made Ruth give up every 
thing that was dearest to her, that she might comfort 
Naomi, nor could they have made her work so hard 
to help Naomi, or be so kind and gentle as to win the 
love of Boaz. It was love that gave her the courage 
and strength of true heroism. Love makes us forget 
self, and leads to heroic actions. 

6i 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

PRAYER. 

''Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art 
the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the 
day!' PsA. 25 : 5. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

Period of the Judges. 
Continued conquest. 

The greatest of the fifteen Judges: Deborah, Gid- 
eon, Jephthah, Samson, and Samuel. 
The story of Ruth. 



62 



Study XI. 
SAMUEL A HERO OF TRUTHFULNESS. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

''Only fear the Lord, and seri-e him in truth with 
all your heart: for consider how great things he has 
done for you.'' i Sam. 12:24. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. An answer to prayer, i Sam. i : 26-28. 

2. The boyhood of Samuel. I Sam. 2:11, 18, 
19, 26. 

3. God's first message to Samuel, i Sam. 3: 1-18. 

4. Samuel a prophet, i Sam. 3: 19 to 4: i. 

5. Samuel anoints Saul, i Sam. 9: 15-26; 10: i. 

6. Warning to Saul, i Sam. 13: 13, 14; 15: 16-29. 

7. David anointed, i Sam. 16: 1-13. 

HERO STORY. 

The ark of the Lord now rested at Shiloh. Yearly 
the people came up to the sacred tent to offer their 
sacrifices and worship God. Eli, the priest and judge, 
is getting to be an old man when Hannah and Elkanah 
come to Shiloh with their offering. They have been 
here many times before, but this is a notable visit to 
the tabernacle, They have brought their offering as 

63 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

usual, but they have brought something more. Their 
little son, whom God has sent them in answer to 
prayer, is to-day to be given to the Lord. They have 
brought him to Eli that he may remain in the taber- 
nacle, and minister unto the Lord. Daily, Samuel 
does such work as a boy may, and it is said of him as 
later it was said of Jesus, that he "grew on, and was 
in favor both with the Lord, and also with men." He 
learns that for a long time God has not spoken to the 
people and perhaps wonders if some day he will not 
speak to Eli. 

Then one night comes the voice of God calling: 
"Samuel." He does not know that it is God, but 
thinks it is Eli. Eli tells him that it is God who speaks 
to him. Samuel listens and when the call comes again, 
says: "Speak; for thy servant heareth." The message 
makes his heart very heavy. He can never tell Eli 
what God has said to him. He says nothing about it, 
but Eli asks him. What shall he do? Shall he pre- 
tend that God did not speak again, or shall he tell him 
just part of the message? No, a boy who has been 
given to God is not going to be a coward. Heroically 
he stands, and tells Eli every word that God told him. 
It is very hard work, for he loves Eli, and God has 
told him of the dreadful things that are going to come 
to Eli, and to his family, but Samuel is true to his 
trust. When he finished Eli said, "It is the Lord: 
let him do what seemeth to him good." 

From this time the Lord frequently spoke to the 
people through Samuel, and after Eli's death he was 
judge over Israel for many years. He made trips 
regularly through the country, and established schools 

64 



Samuel A Hero of Truthfulness 

called ''schools of the prophets." When the people 
insisted on having a king, Samuel tried to show them 
that this was not God's plan for them, but they would 
not listen to him, so he yielded to their wishes, and, 
at God's command, anointed Saul king of Israel. Saul 
was not true to God, and Samuel was sent to him 
with a message. It is not easy to tell Saul that God 



SHILOH*^ 



OBETHEL 
RAMAH oMICHMASH 
nAlviAn r-mrAu IFR 
GIBEONOO oGIBEAH 0^^^^ 

MIZPAHO GILGAL 

KIRIATH-JEARIM ^riR^ ^^'^^'''^01'^^ 

BETH-SHEMESH ^ BETHLEHEn/2?£-/fz/5^/1 



ICHO 



Plan lo. The Country of Samuel. 

is going to take the kingdom away from him, but Sam- 
uel does not hesitate, every word that God has spoken 
to him he tells to Saul. 

David the shepherd boy was also anointed by Sam- 
uel many years before he became king, and Samuel 
was his friend and adviser. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

The class artist can make an enlarged map of some 

parts of Plan lo, showing the location of Shiloh, where 

Samuel ministered in the tabernacle as a little boy; 

Ramah, where his home was later in life ; Bethel, Gil- 

5 65 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

gal, and Mizpah, to which places he went round ; and 
Ebenezer, the ''stone of help" (i Sam. 7: 12), which 
he set up just east of Beth-shemesh. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. Why did Hannah and Elkanah take Samuel to 
the; house of the Lord and leave him there ? 

2. What reason did the people give for wanting 
a king? 

3. What reasons did Samuel urge against it? 

4. Why did Samuel say God would take the king- 
dom away from Saul? 

5. What did God say to Samuel as the sons of 
Jesse came before him, when he was to anoint one of 
them to be king over Israel? 

HEART TALK. 

It Is easy to be strictly honest and truthful when 
there is nothing at stake, but at other times it costs 
something, and sometimes it seems so much easier to 
make things look just a little different than they are. 
God honors the boy who, when he has forgotten a 
duty, owns up to it like a man instead of saying that 
he did not have time. 

The clerk who will not misrepresent goods for the 
sake of selling them, even though he may lose his place 
thereby, is a hero. It takes true courage in many cir- 
cumstances just to tell the simple, plain truth, and the 
whole truth, but it is the kind of courage of which 
heroes are made. 



66 



Samuel A Hero of Truthfulness 

PRAYER. 

^^Moses and Aaron among his priests^ and Samuel 
among them that call upon his name; they called upon 
the Lord and he answered them,'' ''Hear my prayer ^ O 
Lordj and let my cry come unto thee." PsA. 99:6; 
102: I. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

5. The United Kingdom. 1905 to 975 B. C. 
Samuel the first prophet. 
The schools of the prophets established. 
Saul the first king. 
David chosen king. 



67 



Study XII. 

DAVID A HERO SHEPHERD BOY AND 
KING. 

MEMORY VERSES. 

''I will lift up mine eyes unto the hillsj, from whence 
cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, 
which made heaven and earth." PsA. I2l : I, 2.. 

"What time I am afraid^ I will trust in thee.** 

PsA. 56: 3. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. David anointed king, i Sam. 16:1-13. 

2. David's confidence in God. i Sam. 17:32-51. 

3. A loyal friend. 2 Sam. 9:6, 7. 

4. Kindness to Saul, i Sam. 26:2-11. 

5. Desire to build God's house. 2 Sam. 7: 1-16. 

6. Preparation for building God's house, i Chron. 
22: 1-19. 

7. David's psalm of confession for his sin. Psa. 51. 

HERO STORY. 

What makes a hero? We might find a good many- 
things that enter into the making of one, but perhaps 
they might all be covered by three w^ords, courage, 
loyalty, and love. 

We have here a shepherd lad who, to save his sheep, 
did not hesitate to attack a bear or a lion. Was he a 

68 



David A Hero Shepherd Boy and King 

hero ? He surely did not lack In courage, for later we 
find him marching out to meet the great giant, Goliath, 
whom every one feared. Armed only with a sling 
and some stones, he faced and killed him. The armies 
of the Philistines do not daunt him, nor do the javelins 
of Saul. 

Saul hates David and tries to kill him again and 
again, but David's opportunity has come! He finds 
Saul asleep in a cave. His arm is raised to kill him, 
but he pauses. Is not this his king? In generous loy- 
alty he moves on and leaves him sleeping. He was 
also loyal to his friend, for many years after the death 
of Jonathan .we find him fulfilling his promise and 
caring for the deformed and outcast son of his friend. 
But, more than that, throughout his life his song is one 
of glory and honor to God. As when a lad he said 
to the Philistine, "I come to thee in the name of the 
Lord of hosts," so throughout his life he was loyal to 
Jehovah, taking not the glory to himself. 

What of the third characteristic, love? Let us 
turn to Psalm i8: i, 2. But what is the test of this 
love which here we find only in words? 

David has sinned. Nathan the prophet is sent to 
reprove him. David is now a powerful king; he can 
do anything he wishes. Do we find him condemning 
or punishing Nathan for interfering? No, again we 
see the hero, for he acknowledges his sin, and bows 
in confession before God. 

David wishes to build a house for the worship of 
God, but God says, "No, you have been a man of war, 
Solomon your son shall build it." What does David 
do? Just what we would expect a true hero to do, 

6g 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 



>^ 

--'" TIpsa 

pHamath^ j 

Karkar^ / 

\Tad/mor 
..FKadesh of ^/ 
§>f theHittites / 




mascus 



^ / 

I 
I 

^ 1 

^ 1 

^ / 



SAZEM 



ziorj^^-Geber 



, Elath 

^SEA orCu/f of Akadah 



Plan ii. Kingdom of David and Solomon. 



70 



David A Hero Shepherd Boy and King 

he yields to God's will, but though the honor of build- 
ing the temple will belong to Solomon, he makes prepa- 
rations for it, and does all in his power to help Solomon 
in this great work. 

A true hero, courageous as a boy, a mighty man in 
battle, a man strong for the right, loyal to his king, 
his friends, and his God, loving God enough to serve 
him humbly and trust him in all things — this is our 
picture of David. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

The student can see, from Plan ii, hov/ much 
David was able to enlarge his kingdom, so that during 
the latter years of his reign and that of Solomon It 
covered 60,000 square miles. 

The class artist can help to make clear the early 
life of David by enlarging Plan 12 found in the next 
Study. It will show that the place where David 
overcame Goliath was only about 20 miles southwest 
of Bethlehem. It also shows many of the places where 
Saul hunted for David, and some, like Ziklag and 
Hebron, where David lived before Jerusalem became 
his capital. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. By whom was David chosen to be king of 
Israel ? 

2. What is David's first work for Saul? 

3. What was his occupation as a boy? 

4. What made Saul jealous of David? 

5. What does Solomon say about David in i Kings 

3:6? 

71 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

HEART TALK. 

Heroism means living. One act will sometimes 
give a man the name of a hero, but the greatest heroes 
are those w^ho are brave enough to fight the battles 
M^hlch come to them daily. We may not have bears or 
lions to fight, but w^e must meet the army of tempta- 
tions, and he v^ho conquers In this fight Is greater than 
he who slays a giant. 

A boy who Is loyal to father, mother, his church, 
and his God comes In the list of true heroes. But 
courage and loyalty must have for their foundation a 
love for God which, like David's, makes one ready to 
see a fault and confess it, quick to give God the honor, 
and strong enough to trust him daily. 

PRAYER. 

*'I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, 
O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. 
Show thy marvelous lovingkindness, O thou that savest 
by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee/' 
PsA. 17: 6, 7. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

5. The United Kingdom. 1095 to 975 B. C. 
Samuel the first of the prophets. 
The schools of the prophets established. 
Saul the first king. 
David chosen king. 



72 



Study XIII. 
JONATHAN A HERO FRIEND. 

MEMORY VERSES. 

"^ man that hath friends must show himself 
friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than 
a brother/' Prov. 18:24. 

'^Thine own friend, and thy father s friend, for- 
sake not'' Prov. 27 : 10. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Jonathan's bold stroke, i Sam. 14: 1-14. 

2. Saul and Jonathan, i Sam. 14: 15-46. 

3. David and Jonathan, i Sam. 19: 1-7. 

4. Jonathan warns David, i Sam. 20: 1-42. 

5. Jonathan comforts David, i Sam. 23:16-18. 

6. Death of Jonathan, i Sara. 31:1, 2. 

7. David keeps his promise to Jonathan. 2 Sam. 
2: i-li. 

HERO STORY. 

The heir-apparent to the throne of King Saul w^as 
his oldest son Jonathan. Not only w^as he looked upon 
as Saul's successor, but he vi^as his constant companion 
and "right-hand man." Like his father he was a man 
of great strength and activity and excelled in archery. 
2 Sam. 1 : 22. 

Saul's confidence in his son's ability and judgment 

73 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

Is shown in the fact that of the standing army of three 
thousand we find one thousand of them under Jonathan 
at Gibeah. i Sam. 13:2. 

Through the rash curse of the king against any 
man who should eat before evening on a day when the 
Israelites had gone forth into battle (i Sam. 14: 
24-46), Jonathan very nearly lost his life. Saul 
would have fulfilled his vow even though it meant 
the slaying of his son and heir, but the people loved 
Jonathan and would not let him be killed. 

He was a young man when David was brought 
into the palace, but as soon as the two men met they 
loved each other, and they made a covenant of friend- 
ship. As a seal of this, Jonathan took off his outer 
garments, and put them upon David, and gave to him 
his sword and his bow. This friendship was tested 
many times, for Saul did not love David, and again 
and again Jonathan warned his friend of danger, or 
used his Influence to prevent his father from killing 
David. 

You say of course he will protect David. But 
Jonathan knew something that might have made him 
feel differently. While David was yet a boy tending 
his father's sheep, Samuel had anointed him king over 
Israel. Jonathan knew this must mean that he would 
never be king, but that David would take his place. 
Was he jealous? Not a bit. He was a true friend 
and loved David enough to risk his own life for him, 
even though he knew all this. It was not always easy 
to save David, for it was difficult to outwit Saul. 

At last Saul's determination to kill David became 
so strong, that it was necessary for him to go away 

74 



Jonathan A Hero Friend 

from the palace entirely. At this time it would have 
been very easy for Jonathan to have kept quiet, or to 
have betrayed David in order that he himself might 
be the king, but again it v^^as he w^ho planned for the 
safety and escape of his friend. Before parting David 
and Jonathan renewed their covenant of friendship, 
not only for each other, but for their children. This 




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Plan 12. Southern Palestine in the Time of David and 
Jonathan. 

promise David kept when he became king, for he took 
the crippled son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth, into his 
own household and cared for him. So beautiful was 
this friendship that to-day we hear two people, who are 
true friends, spoken of as "David and Jonathan." 

Jonathan died a hero's death, being slain in battle. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

The life of Jonathan was, as far as is known, spent 
mostly at Gibeah, where his father had his court. (Sec 

75 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

Plan 10.) Mount Gflboa where he fell in battle can 
be seen In Plan 8. Then in Plan 14 Bethshan can be 
found, where his body was hung upon the wall until 
loving friends came by night from Jabesh-gllead, and 
bore the body there and buried it. In Plan 12 are 
many places where he probably was in the wars of his 
time. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. How did Jonathan endear himself to the people? 

2. What token of friendship did Jonathan give 
David? 

3. How did he prove his friendship? 

4. Why did he especially ask David to be kind to 
his children? 

5. How was he killed? 

HEART TALK. 

It costs something to be a true friend. Paul says, 
"In honor preferring one another." A real friend 
must sometimes take a lower place in order that the 
one whom he loves may be advanced. 

In the little affairs that come up in school and in 
social life one has many opportunities to quietly keep 
self out of sight and work for the interest of his friend. 
This is not always easy, but the question is, "What 
does that friendship mean to you?" Is it worth while? 
If so then let the sacrifice be made in such a spirit that 
neither your friend nor those about you will know 
what you are doing. 

The best friend is the one who stimulates you to 
be your best, most unselfish self — to be true to the best 

76 



Jonathan A Hero Friend 

there is in you. But better even than this best friend 
is the friend above all others, Jesus. 

PRAYER. 

^'The Lord be between me and thee, and between 
my seed and thy seed forever/' I Sam. 20: 42 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

5. The United Kingdom. 1095 to 975 B. C. 
Samuel the first of the prophets. 
The schools of the prophets established. 
Saul the first king. 

The friendship of David and Jonathan. 
David chosen king. 



77 



Study XIV. 

SOLOMON'S HEROIC CHOICE OF WIS- 
DOM. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

''If any of you lack wisdom^ let him ask of God, 
that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; 
and it shall be given him.'' James i : 5. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Anointed king, i Kings i : 24-30, 39. 

2. The choice of wisdom, i Kings 3:5-13. 

3. God's house built, i Kings 6: 1-9, 37, 38. 

4. Solomon's palace, i Kings 7: 1-12. 

5. Solomon's prayer, i Kings 8:23-53. 

6. Solomon turns away from God. i Kings 1 1 : 

9-13. 

7. The Ten Tribes taken away from Solomon's 
son. T Kings 11:29-31, 34, 35. 

HERO STORY. 

In Solomon we see another prince, educated at 
court as befitted a king's son, but this time it is the 
youngest son. After the death of Absalom, David's 
favorite son and heir to the throne, David promised 
Bathsheba that her son Solomon should be the king. 

When David was a very old man, Adonijah, one 
of his older sons, determined to be king and secured 

78 



Solomon's Heroic Choice of Wisdom 

quite a number of people to follow him. When Solo- 
mon's mother heard of It she appealed to Nathan the 
prophet, and told him of what David had said. To- 
gether they went to the king and reminded him of his 
promise, and David gave directions that Solomon 
should be anointed king of Israel. 

It was a great kingdom for a young man to rule 
over. David had accumulated much wealth, built big 
cities, and made the country very powerful; but the 
young king loved the Lord ( i Kings 3:3), and he 
was wise enough to know that he needed some one to 
guide him. One night God appeared to him In a 
dream and said to him, "Ask what I shall give thee." 
Solomon might have asked for greater wealth, he 
might have asked for pleasure or honor, but here the 
hero came to the front. He asked none of these things 
for himself, but asked that he might be wise enough 
to be able to know right from wrong and to rule the 
people, the great kingdom, wisely. 

This choice pleased God, and he said, because 
Solomon had not asked for selfish things, he would not 
only make him the wisest man that ever lived, but 
would give him the other things too. 

In those days the fame of Solomon's wisdom went 
all over the world, and even to-day we speak of some 
one who knows a very great deal as being as "wise as 
Solomon." 

The Queen of Sheba heard of him and came to see 
if what she heard was true. Before she went back to 
her own home, she said that not half had even been 
told of all of the wisdom and wealth of Solomon. 
2 Chron. 9:6, 12. 

79 



Short Studies of Old '1 estament Heroes 

Solomon had a great work to do. David had made 
ready to build the temple, but God had said that 
Solomon should build it, and this was his first work. 
When the temple was completed Solomon himself of- 
fered the prayer (i Kings 8:23-53) at its dedication. 




Plan 13. Jerusalem in the Time of Solomon. 

a.— David's House. 3.— Solomon's Armory, rf.— Solomon's Pal- 
ace. J.— The Great Altar. :f.— The Temple. 

He later built a magnificent palace for himself. The 
land had peace throughout his reign. 

As Solomon grew richer and richer he forgot what 
God had said to him, and to please his heathen wives 
. $o 



Solomon's Heroic Choice of Wisdom 

he built altars to their gods, (i Kings 11:4-8), and 
ceased to worship the only true God. 

Because of this God told him the kingdom should 
be taken away from him during the reign of his son, 
but that on account of the faithfulness of David he 
would not take it all away from his family. 

This prophecy was fulfilled in the division of the 
kingdom during the reign of Rehoboam. i Kings 
12: 20. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

Plan 13 shows what is now thought to have been 
the location of Solomon's buildings, and the way the 
city was built at that time. The city was small and 
all was planned as it must be in that day to ward off 
the attack of foes. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. What foreign king aided Solomon in the build- 
ing of the temple? 

2. Upon what condition did God promise to estab- 
lish the throne of Solomon forever? 

3. Where does it say that "All the earth sought to 
Solomon to hear his wisdom?" 

4. Who was Solomon's successor? 

5. What caused the people to rebel against him? 

6. What were the two divisions of the kingdom 
called ? 

HEART TALK. 

In James we read that God has promised to give 
wisdom to those who ask him. As he fulfilled his 
promise to Solomon, he will fulfill it to us to-day. 
6 81 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

If we desire to know right from wrong, God will not 
fail to make It clear to us. If to this desire to know, 
Is added the determination to do the right, God will 
surely do his part. With all of his wisdom Solomon 
did not seem to understand that he must do as well as 
know, and as a result the kingdom was lost. 

PRAYER. 

"Have respect to the prayer of thy servant^ O Lord 
my God . . . hear thou from thy dwelling place, 
and when thou hearest, forgive, . . . and let thy 
saints rejoice in goodness." 2 Chron. 6: 19, 2i, 41. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

5. The United Kingdom. 1095 to 975 B. C. 
Samuel the first of the prophets. 
The schools of the prophets established. 
Saul the first king. 

The friendship of David and Jonathan. 
David chosen king. 
Nathan the prophet. 
Th& death of Absalom. 
Solomon the sucessor of David. 
The temple built. 
Idolatry introduced. 



82 



Study XV. 
ELIJAH A HERO ON CARMEL. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

"And when all the people saw it, they fell on their 
faces: and they said. The Lord, he is the God; the 
Lord, he is the God." i Kings 18:39. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. The first appearance of Elijah, i Kings 17: i. 

2. Fed by the ravens, i Kings 17:2-7. 

3. Fed by the widow of Zarephath. i Kings 17: 
8-16. 

4. Second appearance to Ahab. i Kings 18: 14-19. 

5. The test on Mount Carmel : ( i ) The prophets 
of Baal, I Kings 18:21-29; (2) Elijah, i Kings 18: 
30-38. 

6. The rain given, i Kings 18:41-46. 

7. Elijah's successor, i Kings 19: 19-21; 2 Kings 

2:9-14. 

HERO STORY. 

During the reign of the wicked King Ahab, Elijah 
suddenly appeared before him with the message from 
God, that for three years there should neither be dew 
nor rain. 

Who was Elijah? It Is not known. All that Is 
told about his native place Is that he was "Elijah the 

83 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

Tishblte, who was of the Inhabitants of Gilead." In 
2 Kings 1 : 8 we read that he was a "hairy man" and 
wore a leathern girdle. Just where he came from, or 
who his parents were, no one knew. That his message 
was from God, Ahab soon found out, for the rain and 
the dew ceased and everything dried up, according to 
the prophet's word. 

During the famine which thl§ caused, Elijah was 
miraculously fed, first by the ravens, and then by the 
widow of Zarephath, whose meal was not exhausted 
and whose cruse of oil failed not while the famine 
lasted. 

At the end of the three years Elijah again appeared 
to Ahab, who had had men hunting for him. In every 
nation, and told him to gather together the prophets 
of Baal unto Mount Carmel. There was something 
about Elijah that made Ahab obey him, and nearly a 
thousand prophets of the false religion and a crowd of 
people came together to meet Elijah. He spoke to 
them and proposed a test to prove which was the true 
God: Baal or Jehovah. 

An altar was built and an offering placed upon 
It by the prophets of Baal, who called upon their god 
until the time of the evening sacrifice, beseeching him 
to send fire to consume the offering and to prove that 
he was God ; but the day passed and no fire came. It 
was now Elijah's turn. He took twelve stones and 
erected an altar and dug a trench about It. He placed 
upon It his offering, then told them to fill four barrels 
with water and pour over It. This they did, not once, 
but three times, till the trench was filled with water. 
Then Elijah called upon the name of Jehovah, saying: 

84 



Elijah A Hero on Carmel 

"Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may 
know that thou art the Lord God," and also "that I 
have done all these things at thy word;" and the fire 




Plan 14. Palestine in the Days of Elijah. 



from heaven came down and burnt up, not only the 
offering, but also the stones, and licked up the water 
in the trench. 

85 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

When the people saw this they said, "The Lord, 
he Is the God; the Lord, he is the God." 

Elijah caused all the prophets of Baal to be slain. 
Then he said to Ahab, "Get thee down, that the 
rain stop thee not;" and "he girded up his loins, and 
ran before Ahab" to Jezreel. 

When the queen, Jezebel, heard what Elijah had 
done, she was very angry, and sent out a messenger 
to tell him that she would kill him. Elijah feared her 
and fled into the wilderness. He was discouraged and 
felt that he was the only one left that worshiped God, 
but God showed him that there were many, many 
more just as faithful to the worship of Jehovah as he 
had been. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

In Plan 14, can be found almost every place men- 
tioned in the life of Elijah, such as Gilead, located 
where the name Jabesh-gilead appears, the Brook 
Cherith, Zarephath, Jezreel, Abel-meholah where he 
found Elisha. Mount Carmel is of course where the 
little point extends into the Mediterranean. These are 
about the only things to be put in the map by the 
class artist. If he wishes to add the journey of Elijah 
to Mount Sinai, he can join some of the map of Plan 
6 to this 6ne. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. In what way did God make Elijah a blessing 
to the widow? 

2. How did God speak to Elijah on Mount Horeb? 

3. How did he encourage him? 

4. Who was his successor? 

86 



Elijah A Hero on Carmel 

5. Where does it say that Elijah's mantle fell on 
his succcessor? 

HEART TALK. 

God will not call upon you to defy a king or to 
call fire down from heaven, but he will put you in 
many places where his name and worship must be de- 
fended and evil must be defied. The boy who says 
it is right to be dishonest in business, if more money is 
to be made In that way, Is throwing out a challenge 
to every follower of Christ. You may not call down 
fire from heaven to convince him, but the sword of 
God's Word Is within your reach. If you are as sure 
of being In the right as Elijah was, you can be Instru- 
mental In helping those who are worshiping some idol 
to say, "The Lord, he Is the God; the Lord, he is 
the God." 

PRAYER. 

''Lord God of Abraham J Isaac, and of Israel, let 
it be known that thou art God; that this people may 
know that thou are the Lord God, and that thou hast 
turned their heart back again/' i Kings 18:36, 37. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

6. The Divided Kingdom. Israel. 975 to 721 
B. C. 

The division of the kingdom at the death of Solo- 
mon. 

Israel composed of the ten northern tribes. 

Ninteen kings, beginning with Jeroboam. 

Ahab a wicked king, in the time of Jehoshaphat 
of Judah. 

Elijah and Ellsha prophets of Israel. 

87 



Study XVI. 
AMOS A HERO AT BETHEL. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

^'Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so 
the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye 
have spoken." Amos 5:14. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. The call of Amos. Amos 7: 12-15. 

2. Israel's sin. Amos 2:9-12. 

3. Judgment against Israel. Amos 3: 10-15. 

4. Israel urged to turn to God. Amos 5: 14, 15. 

5. Israel's deliverance foretold. Amos 9: 13-15. 

6. *'Thus saith the Lord" used fourteen times in 
the book of Amos. Amos 1:3, 6, 13. 

7. A prophecy that was fulfilled on the day of 
Christ's crucifixion. Amos 5 : 20. 

HERO STORY. 

When the kingdom was divided during the reign 
of Rehoboam, the northern tribes which were called 
the kingdom of Israel had no temple and no national, 
place of worship. Jeroboam was afraid the people 
might want to go back to Jerusalem, so he had two 
golden calves made, and placed the one In a temple 
in Dan in the northern part of the country, and the 



Amos A Hero at Bethel 

other in Bethel in the south. These he said were 
simply so that the people would have something to 
remind them of God. God had said, "Thou shalt not 
make unto thee any graven image," but the people 
forgot this and almost before they knew it they had 
forgotten to worship God at all and had become calf- 
worshipers. 

This northern people of Israel never had a king 
who served God. Under Jeroboam II, the kingdom 
reached its greatest importance and wealth, but at this 
time also came greater wickedness and more dreadful 
forms of idol worship. 

Suddenly in the midst of a great feast, a man of 
strange appearance, tall, strong, and clad in the garb 
of a shepherd or farmer, appears in their midst. He 
goes into the very temple of the idols and delivers his 
message. 

God has called Amos from following his flocks in 
Tekoa, a city of Judah, and sent him to Israel. He 
comes to the priests and people with a prophecy of 
trouble for three far-away kingdoms. The people are 
interested and agree that God is right in his judg- 
ments; next comes the doom of the neighboring coun- 
tries, Israel's border enemies, and the people rejoice; 
then the sins of Judah are portrayed. Amos has gained 
a hearing. As Israel swells with self-righteousness, 
he proceeds with God's message to them. He reveals 
the crimes of the priesthood, and does not fear to deal 
faithfully with the king himself. As he pictures their 
wickedness ,and the woe that will come upon them, he 
exhorts them to seek good that they may live. 

The priest Amaziah perhaps secured a decree from 

89 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

King Jeroboam expelling Amos from the country, but 
before he goes he shows them that while he was neither 
a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but a simple shep- 
herd, God had called him and sent him with this 
message. 

He returns to his home in Judah, and having been 
unable fully to give his message, he writes It in the book 
which is called the Book of Amos, and which is the 
first written prophecy. His book closes with the 
promise that, though Israel has sinned, the people will 
some day seek God and be saved. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

The class artist can get from Plan 14, in the 
previous Study, the items to show how Amos went 
from Tekoa his home north to Bethel where he gave 
the prophecy now in the book bearing his name, and 
then returned to Tekoa. He would pass either through 
or near Bethlehem and Jerusalem on the way, and 
the distance Is about 25 miles. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was Amos? 

2. Where does he tell about his call? 

3. Where does he use the figure of the plumb-line? 

4. How many times can you find the expression, 
"Thus saith the Lord," in the book of Amos? 

5. To which kingdom does Amos prophesy? 

HEART TALK. 

We notice four things In the life of Amos. First, 
when God told him what to do he did not hesitate, 

90 



Amos A Hero at Bethel 

even though it was a work he had not planned to do. 
Second, he went about It boldly. Third, he was tact- 
ful and won the interest of the people before he gave 
the message. Fourth, he held up the good before the 
people even while he denounced the evil. 

Those who would do the best service for God must 
be obedient, tactful, courageous, and ever hold to the 
right and good as the most desirable thing. 

PRAYER. 

"^O Lord Godj forgive I beseech thee.'* ''Wilt 
thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice 
in theef Show us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us 
thy salvation/' Amos 7:2; Psa. 85 : 6, 7. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

6. The Divided Kingdom. Israel. 975 to 721 
B. C. 

The division of the kingdom at the death of Solo- 
mon. 

Israel composed of the ten northern tribes. 

Nineteen kings, beginning with Jeroboam. 

Ahab a wicked king, in the time of Jehoshaphat 
of Judah. 

Elijah and Elisha prophets of Israel. 

Jeroboam II the greatest king of Israel. 

Amos a man of Judah sent to prophesy against 
Israel. 



91 



Study XVIL 
ISAIAH A HERO STATESMAN. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying. Whom 
shall I send, and who will go for usf Then said I, 
Here am I ; send me." IsA. 6:8. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Isaiah's commission. Isa. 6:1-9. 

2. "The saddest chapter in the Bible" (Bishop 
McCabe). Isa, 1:1-9. 

3. A message of comfort and cheer. Isa. chap- 
ter 35. 

4. Fear not. Isa. 41:10-13; 43:1-5. 

5. A suffering Saviour. Isa. chapter 53. 

6. An invitation. Isa. chapter 55. 

7. Christ's power to save. Isa. 63 : 1-9. 

HERO STORY. 

In the eighth century before Christ Palestine lay- 
in the center of conflict. Egypt on the south and 
Assyria on the north were striving for mastery. Alli- 
ances for mutual protection were formed between the 
kingdom of Judah and the surrounding nations. Uz- 
ziah was of an independent disposition and refused 
to be drawn into these alliances. Under his wise gov- 
ernment the political and religious life of the nation 

92 



Isaiah A Hero Statesman 

was purified and strengthened. At this time a young 
man was growing up in Jerusalem, whose character 
shows the effect of the glory of this reign. His very 
name, Isaiah, which means "Salvation is from Je- 
hovah," must have had a strong influence on his life. 
He is called a prophet, but that name really means a 
preacher. Sometimes God revealed the things of the 
future to his prophets, but their great work was that 
of preaching, of giving God's message concerning the 
political and religious life of their own time. 

Isaiah might be called a political preacher, as he 
was both a statesman of great sagacity and ability 
and a fearless preacher. He became the leading man 
of the nation, and after David the most prominent in 
the later history of the Old Testament. Someone has 
said he was a statesman, seer, reformer, theologian, 
orator, and poet. 

That Isaiah was a priest seems probable from the 
fact that the only vision of his life was given to him 
in the temple. As he stood before the holy of holies, 
the curtain seemed to part, and within he saw Jehovah 
sitting in awful majesty upon his throne. He was 
guarded by the cherubim, and as Isaiah looked upon 
this vision he felt the majesty and glory of Jehovah, 
and realized his own littleness and unworthiness. He 
cried out, "Woe is me . . . for I am a man of 
unclean lips;" he fears that he will die, but an angel 
takes a coal from the altar and with it touches his 
lips, thus setting him apart for prophetic service. 
When the voice of Jehovah is heard, asking who will 
speak for him to Judah, Isaiah answers, "Here am I; 
send me." 

93 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 




Plan 15. Jerusalem in the Time of Isaiah. 

During the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Heze- 
kiah, extending over a period of sixty years, Isaiah 
showed much power In the kingdom, having great In- 
fluence with the kings and their advisers. 

He denounced the political and social evils of the 
times, declaring that Judah should be destroyed as the 



94 



Isaiah A Hero Statesman 

result of her wickedness, but that a remnant should be 
saved, and in the end the nation should be purified 
and perfected, and ultimately reigned over by the 
Messiah of whom he prophesied in Isaiah 9 : 6-7. 

Isaiah lived to be about eighty years old, and 
according to tradition was sawn asunder with a w^ooden 
saw during the reign of Manasseh. One tradition 
says he was inclosed within the trunk of a cedar tree 
and then sawn asunder. Of what great comfort at 
the end of this long life must have been the words 
which God had spoken to the people through him: 
"For the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand say- 
ing unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

Jerusalem has been growing since the days of Solo- 
mon, for more than 200 years have passed, and strong 
walls now inclose on every side a somewhat rectangular 
shaped city. This is the city where Isaiah lived, 
and that he greatly loved, and it was largely because 
of his faith and courage that God saved the city from 
falling before the Assyrians, so that it stood for a cen- 
tury and a half longer. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. Who was the father of Isaiah? 

2. Where do we find that King Hezekiah sent to 
Isaiah for counsel ? 

3. What message did God send by Isaiah when 
Hezekiah was sick? 



95 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

4. What are some of the names Isaiah gives to 
Jesus ? 

5. Find a New Testament quotation from Isaiah. 

HEART TALK. 

Very often God asks the question that he asked in 
the time of Isaiah, "Who will do a certain work, or 
carry certain messages for me?" It may be he wants 
someone to raise a voice against inattention or disorder 
in Sunday-school, against cheating in school, or going 
to Sunday ball games. He may need someone to be- 
friend a boy or girl who is not being kindly treated, 
or to defend a teacher who is being misjudged. We 
cannot tell for what God's call will come, but he has 
sent his Holy Spirit into the world to help those who 
are ready to respond to his call. Have you said to him, 
"Here am I; send me?" Have you the courage to 
say this even though you may not know what he will 
ask you to do or say ? 

PRAYER. 

""O Lordj be gj-acious unto us; we have waited for 
thee; be thou . . . our salvation also in the time 
of trouble/* IsA. 33 : 2. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

7. The Divided Kingdom. Judah. 975 to 588 
B. C. 
Isaiah the prophet in the reigns of 
Uzziah, 
Jotham, 
Ahaz, 

96 



Isaiah A Hero Statesman 

Hezekiah. 

Israel made captive. 
Other prophets contemporary with the above- 
named kings; 
Joel, 
Amos, 
Hosea, 
Micah. 



97 



Study XVIII. 

JOB A SUFFERING HERO. 

MEMORY VERSE. 
"/ know that thou canst do everything^ and that 
no thought can be withholden from thee." Job 42: 2. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 
I.. A man who feared God. Job 1:1-8; 2:3. 

2. The complaint of Satan. Job i : 9, 10. 

3. Job given into the hands of Satan. Job i : 12-19. 

4. Job still faithful. Job i : 20-22. 

5. Job delivered to Satan the second time. Job 2: 
4-10. 

6. God's great power. Job chapter 41. 

7. Health and prosperity restored. Job 42: 11-16. 

HERO STORY. 

In the land of Uz lived a" mighty chieftain, high 
of rank and very wealthy, whose name. Job, stood for 
everything that was honorable and good. God him- 
self declared that there was "none like him in the 
earth, a perfect and an upright man, and one that 
feareth God." 

Every one looked up to Job, but Satan said: "O 
yes, it is easy for Job to be such a just and godly man, 
for has not God given him everything a man could 
want? Who would not serve God under such cir- 
cumstances?" "Doth Job fear God for naught?" 

98 



Job A Suffering Hero 

Then God gave Satan permission to test Job, to 
see if Job would curse his Creator, as the evil one had 
said he would do. Satan takes full advantage of this 
permission. First Job's property is all destroyed, next 
his children are slain, but still Job is true to God. 
To leave no possible chance untried he is next afflicted 
with a loathsome disease causing dreadful suffering. 
Job's wife loses faith in God, but Job says: "What! 
shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we 
not receive evil." 

Job's friends come to see him. They greet him 
with great grief at his troubles and sit down to dis- 
cuss the situation with him. They try to prove to 
him that suffering and trouble are the result of sin, 
and that he must^have sinned greatly against God, or 
his punishment would not be so severe. Job argues 
that sin does not always receive immediate punishment 
in this world, and that trouble does come to the right- 
eous. He holds to his point that his life has been 
blameless. Finally Elihu, another friend, enters into 
the discussion and shows Job that he has, perhaps al- 
most without knowing it, implied that God has been 
unjust in his dealings with him. God then speaks and 
shows to them his own absolute power, and his care 
for all things which he has made (Job chapters 38, 39). 

When Job heard God speak, he saw that in his 
heart he had been blaming God, and he humbled him- 
self before God and asked forgiveness. God then 
confirmed all that Job had said in regard to the in- 
tegrity of his life, and showed the friends that they 
had accused him falsely. God was angry with them, 
but when Job interceded for them, he forgave them. 

L. OF C, 99 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

After this God brought prosperity again to Job. 
He became twice as rich as he had been, his brothers, 
sisters and friends showed him special kindness, and 
sons and daughters came to bless his home. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

It is not certainly known just where the land of 
Uz, where Job lived, was located, but it will not be 
amiss for the class artist to place it northeast of the 
Sea of Galilee in the region bordering on the desert. 
See Plan 14. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. Where do we learn that Satan goes to and fro 
in the earth? 

2. What does God say to him concerning Job? 

3. How many friends came to console Job? 

4. What do they argue must be the cause of Job's 
trouble ? 

5. How does Job reply every time? 

HEART TALK. 

It is not always easy to understand why God lets 
some kinds of trouble come. The boy who is serving 
God is sometimes left an orphan and penniless, while 
the one who thinks only of pleasure and self has a 
beautiful home, college is open to him, and loving 
friends are all ready to do for him. But God is so 
much -greater than we are and knows so much more, 
that we can only trust when we cannot see; and all 
will come out right for those who keep close to him, 
even though trouble comes. 
100 



Job A Suffering Hero 

PRAYER. 

"HeaVj I beseech thee, and I tuill speak. . . . 
/ have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now 
mine eye seeth thee." "Let, I pray thee, thy merciful 
kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto 
thy servant." Job 42:4, 5; PsA. 119:76. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

7. The Divided Kingdom. Judah. 975 to 588 
B.C. 
Hezeklah. 

Job. Historical setting not known, but book is 
placed by some about the time of Hezekiah. 



loi 



Study XIX. 
JOSIAH A HERO REFORMER IN JUDAH. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

"And he did that which was right in the sight of 
the Lord . . . and turned not aside to the right 
hand or to the left/* 2 Kings 22 : 2. 

• BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. The boy king. 2 Kings 22: i, 2. 

2. At the age of sixteen. 2 Chron. 34 : 3. 

3. Finding the book of the Law. 2 Chron. 34: 
15-19. 

4. Consultation with the prophetess. 2 Chron. 34 : 
21-28. 

5. The law read before the people. 2 Kings 23: 
1-3. 

6. The passover kept. 2 Chron. 35: 11-18. 

7. The death of Josiah. 2 Chron. 35 : 20-24. 

HERO STORY. 

Many a boy has been heard to say, "I might 
amount to something if I had had a different father." 
A good father is a great blessing, but a boy can be a 
man in spite of his father. After the division of the 
kingdom under Rehoboam, Judah had some kings who 
feared God and served him, and some who were very 
102 



Josiah A Hero Reformer in Judah 

wicked. Among all the wicked kings, perhaps there 
were none worse than Manasseh and his son Amon. 
Under them Judah was led into the most dreadful 
forms of idolatry. Josiah, son of Amon, came to the 
throne when he was but eight years old. With such 
a father and grandfather what could be expected of 
him? During the first few years we know but little 
about him, except that some one had taught him to 
serve God, and that he did right In his sight. When 
he was sixteen years old "he began to seek after the 
God of David his father," and at once began to tear 
down the altars, destroy the groves, and break In pieces 
the Images. He caused everything that had been used 
in Idolatrous worship to be burned. 

Next he turned his attention to God's house, and 
gave orders to the priests to collect money and engage 
carpenters, masons, and all kinds of workmen to repair 
the temple. One curious thing In the account of this 
is that they gave the money Into the hands of the 
workmen and kept no account v/Ith them, for "they 
dealt faithfully" (2 Kings 22:7). 

When the rubbish was cleared out of the temple, 
the priest Hllklah found the book of the law and gave 
it to Shaphan the scribe (2 Kings 22: 8). When the 
book was taken to the king, he had It read to him and 
possibly for the first time knew the judgments that God 
had pronounced against Judah If she left the worship 
of God and worshiped Idols. 

Josiah sent to a prophetess to find out if this law 

was really God's Word, and the reply was that God 

would bring all the calamity that he had threatened, 

If his people disobeyed ; but because Josiah had done 

103 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

everything that he could to undo the wicked works of 
his father and had followed God, this trouble would 
not be sent while he was alive. Josiah and his people 
then enjoyed about twelve years of prosperity and 
blessing. Great sorrow came to Judah in the death 
of their noble and faithful king, for Josiah was killed 
in a battle with the Egyptians. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

The kingdom of Israel has passed away about 80 
years before the time of Josiah, but his own kingdom, 
that of Judah is well represented in Plan 14. That 
map can also show his journey to meet Pharaoh Necho 
at the battle of Megiddo, just west of Jezreel, where 
Josiah was either killed or mortally wounded so that 
he soon died and his body was brought back In his 
chariot to Jerusalem. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. What covenant did Josiah make with God? 

2. How did he show respect to the grave of the 
man of God who had prophesied in Judah ? 

3. Where does it say there was no king like unto 
Josiah, either before him or after him? 

4. What great feast was observed during the reign 
of Josiah? 

HEART TALK. 

Not very many sons of Presidents ever become 
President. On the other hand, many a son of a 
drunkard has become an esteemed and honorable cit- 
izen. A boy or girl may be just about what he wants 
104 



Josiah A Hero Reformer in ^udah 

to be. If he Is made of hero material he will stand 
for the right, whatever his father m'ay have been, but 
the only way to do it is just the way Josiah did, for 
"while he was yet young (sixteen years old), he began 
to seek after the God of David his father" (2 Chron. 
34: 3). Here lies the secret of his success. Shall that 
be the secret of your success? 

PRAYER. 

''Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law ; 
yea, I shall observe it -with my whole heart" PsA. 
119:34. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

7. The Divided Kingdom. Judah. 975 to 588 

B. C. 
Judah composed of the two southern tribes. 
Nineteen kings, beginning with Rehoboam. 
The good kings of Judah: 

Asa, 

Jehoshaphat, 

Jo ash, 

Amaziah, 

Uzziah, 

Jotham,- 

Hezeklah, 

Josiah. 
Prophets during the reign of Josiah: 

Nahum, 

Zephanlah, 

Habakkuk, 

Jeremiah. 

105 



Study XX. 

JEREMIAH A HERO DURING HIS 
COUNTRY'S FALL. 

MEMORY VERSES. 

*'The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying. 
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: there- 
fore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee'' Jere- 
miah 31:3. 

*'Call unih, mt, and I will answer thee, and show 
thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not," 

Jer. zz ' 3. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. A prophet during the overthrow of Judah. Jer, 

1 : 1-3. 

2. Jeremiah's call. Jer. i : 4-10. 

3. The seventy years of captivity foretold. Jer. 
25:8-13. 

4. How the prophecies were written. Jer. 36: 1-6, 
16-18. 

5. The writings of Jeremiah destroyed. Jer. 36: 
20-26. 

6. The prophecy rewritten and added to. Jer. 
36:27-32. . 

7. A prophecy of the return to Jerusalem. Jer. 
50: 18-23. 

HERO STORY. 

When King Josiah was tearing down the altars 
and groves, and attempting to restore the worship of 
106 



Jeremiah A Hero During His Country's Fall 

Jehovah, there was growing up In that country a boy 
named Jeremiah, who was later known as the "weep- 
ing prophet." This is hardly a fair name for him, 
for while he was the prophet of doom, foretelling the 
overthrow of Judah and living to see his prophecy ful- 
filled, he was also the prophet of hope, foretelling the 
restoration of the exiles after the period of captivity 
was over. 

As Jeremiah lived In the very time of which he was 
warning the people, his life was full of peril and suf- 
fering, because the message he brought was not one 
which the people wanted to hear. 

Jehoahaz the son of Joslah was carried away cap- 
tive, and his wicked brother Jeholakim was made king. 
Very soon Jeremiah had a message from God for him, 
which made the king so angry that he tried to kill him, 
but he was hidden by his friends, and his life saved. 

While In hiding he could not speak to the people, 
so he dictated God's words to Baruch, his friend and 
pupil, who was with him during the greater part of 
his life, and who wrote them on a roll and read them 
to the people. Some of the king's officers took the roll, 
and began reading It to the king and the princes. The 
king who was sitting In his winter house, with a fire 
burning on the hearth near him, seized the roll, cut It 
In pieces, and burned It up; he then told his officers to 
arrest Jeremiah and Baruch and put them to death. 
God however was taking care of his servants, and they 
could not be found. Later God commanded Jeremiah 
to re-write his message and added to it. 

When the king of Judah and part of the people 
were carried away captive to Babylon, Jeremiah was 
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Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

left In Jerusalem, and again warned Zedekiah, who 
had been appointed king. This time he was thrown into 
a dungeon, where he must soon have died, had he not 
been rescued by a friend, and placed in a more com- 
fortable place. At this time, while warning the king, 
he was also foretelling the day when the people carried 
away captive to Babylon would return again, after sev- 
enty years. He sent a letter to the exiles with this 
good news. 

At last Jerusalem was captured, as Jeremiah had 
prophesied, and the temple destroyed. Jeremiah was 
taken captive with the rest, but he was set free and 
remained In Judah for a time. Then a band of Jews 
compelled him to go with them to Egypt. His later 
history is uncertain, though there are many traditions 
concerning him. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

The only long journey that Jeremiah is known to 
have taken was near the close of his life when he was 
taken down Into Egypt. The class artist can show 
this journey and the place, Tahpanhes, where he stayed, 
by looking at Plans 4 and 5. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. How many books did Jeremiah write? 

2. To which kingdom did he belong? 

3. What great disaster occurred during his life? 

4. Who was the last king of Judah? 

5. What is the second book written by Jeremiah 
called ? 

108 



Jeremiah A Hero During His Country's Fall 

HEART TALK. 

Those who are faithful in proclaiming the message 
of God may be sure of his presence and help, though 
their lives may not be free from trouble. John G. 
Paton's life was in constant danger, but God never 
forgot him. The boy who raises his voice against the 
Sunday ball game or the cigarette may be laughed at, 
or even dropped from the gang, but God will not drop 
him. The girl who refuses to be on the street nights 
or to attend dances may be left with little company, 
but, like Jeremiah, she will find that it pays. 

PRAYER. 

^'Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou 
bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; 
that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may re- 
joice in the gladness of thy nation" PsA. I06 : 4, 5. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

8. The Captivity. 607 to 537 B. C. 

Jeremiah prophesied in Judah from reign of Josiah 
to that of Zedekiah. 

Captivity begun in reign of Jehoiakim. 607 B. C. 

Captivity complete, temple destroyed, and Jeru- 
salem burned in reign of Zedekiah. 588 B. C. 

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 



IC9 



Study XXI. 
EZEKIEL A HERO PRIEST OF THE EXILE. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

*'That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine 
ordinances, and do them : and they shall be my people, 
and I will be their God/' EzEK. 1 1 : 20. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Ezekiel's call. Ezek. 1:1-3; 3:1-5. 

2. His commission. Ezek. 3:1-14. 

3. One of Ezekiel's parables. Ezek. 4: 1-8. 

4. False prophets. Ezek. 11:1-13. 

5. A prophecy of the restoration. Ezek. 11 : 16-21. 

6. A minister to the exiles. Ezek. 11:24-25; 12: 
1-15. 

7. The valley of dry bones. Ezek. 37: 1-14. 

HERO STORY. 

"God Is strong," or "God strengthens," might 
seem a strange name to give to a boy, but this Is the 
meaning of the name Ezekiel. If one were to look 
through the history of the kingdom of Judah, no time 
could be found which would so strongly suggest such 
a name, as the reign of the young king Josiah, who, 
strengthened by God, was destroying idols and altars 
and restoring the worship of the true God ; and it was 
no 



Ezekiel A Hero Priest of the Exile 

in his reign that Ezekiel was born. His father was 
a priest, and it is probable that even when he was a 
little boy he heard of the finding of the book of the 
law, and also learned of the prophecies of Jeremiah.' 
While he was yet in his teens the scene changed. 
Josiah was killed, later Johoiakim also was slain, the 
temple ravaged, and many of the people including 
Ezekiel and his father carried away captive. 

In Babylon the Jewish exiles had several settle- 
ments where they built their homes, and lived much as 
they had done in Jerusalem. The home of the young 
priest Ezekiel was on the river Chebar. Instead of 
returning to the worship of God, the exiles were influ- 
enced by false prophets, who told them that the power 
of Nebuchadnezzar would very soon be destroyed, and 
then they would go back to Jerusalem. Ezekiel knew 
that this was not true, and that the book of the law as 
well as the words of Jeremiah had told them that this 
very thing would happen, if they continued to disobey 
God's laws. About five years after the captivity God 
spoke to Ezekiel saying to him, "Son of man, I have 
made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel : there- 
fore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and give 
them warning from me" (Ezek. 3:17). The false 
prophets continued to come to the people with the same 
story of their return to Jerusalem, and because they 
liked this message best they believed them, rather than 
Ezekiel. 

At last however Jerusalem was destroyed, the 
walls broken down, and the city burned; so the mes- 
sage of the true prophet of God could not but be be- 
lieved. After this God gave Ezekiel another message. 
Ill 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

It was that, at some time, a part of them should return 
to Jerusalem and rebuild the city and the temple. A 
great many of his messages were given as a stor}' or in 
parables. At one time he said he saw a valley full of 
dr\' bones, and as he looked God commanded the flesh 




A R A B 1 A 



Plan i6. Chief Countries where the Jeutsh People were. 
IN Exile. 

to come onto the bones and the bones to be joined 
together till the valley was full of bodies. Then God 
breathed upon them and they became living people. 
The dry bones he said were like themselves, now scat- 
tered in a heathen land, but at God's word thev would 



112 



Ezekiel A Hero Priest of the Exile 

come together, and when filled with God's Spirit they 
would again become a living, moving nation. But 
Ezekiel saw even more than this, for God showed him 
a picture of the time when all the world should know 
and w^orship him, and his kingdom should truly come 
In glor}' and power. 

CRAYON AND PENXIL. 

Though some of the Jewish people during the Exile 
were In EgA'pt, most of them were scattered over the 
countries far to the east, Ezekiel and the company 
with whom he lived being at Telabib on one of the 
canals near Xippur, southeast of the city of Babylon. 
Class artist can use Plans 4 and 16, to show the 
journey of Ezekiel from Jerusalem and Telabib. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. ^\Tlere does Ezekiel mention Xoah, Daniel, 
and Job ? 

2. In what t^vo chapters does God say that he has 
made Ezekiel a watchman unto the house of Israel ? 

3. Which might be called the watchman chapter? 

4. Which might be called the shepherd chapter? 

5. Where does God say, "The flock of my pasture 
are men?" 

HE.-\RT T.ALK. 

Amos was sent to the kingdom of Israel, Jeremiah 
prophesied in times of great danger, but Ezekiel's 
special work seems to have been to deliver the message 
to those about him in the little settlem.ent of exiles 
on the Chebar. His message may also have gone back 
S tic; 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

to Jerusalem, but It was for his neighbors first. God 
sends some people into foreign fields, he calls some to 
be ministers, but the larger number are only asked to 
serve him just where they are, to be kind and helpful 
to those nearest to them. He wants us to be Ezeklels 
and stand for him among our playfellows and In our 
homes. 

PRAYER. 

"Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous 
things out of thy law/' PsA. 119: 18. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

8. The Captivity. 607 to 537 B. C. 

Jeremiah prophesied In Judah from reign of Joslah 
to that of Zedeklah. 

Captivity begun In reign of Jeholaklm. 607 B. C. 

Captivity complete, temple destroyed, and Jeru- 
salem burned In reign of Zedeklah. 588 B. C. 

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 

Jewish exiles settled on River Chebar. 

Ezeklel a preacher among the exiles. 



114 



Study XXII. 
DANIEL A HERO WITH A PURPOSE. 

MEMORY VERSES. 

''O Daniel J . . . is thy God, whom thou 
servest continually^ able to deliver thee from the lionsf 

. . My God hath sent his angelj and hath shut 
the lions^ mouths, that they have not hurt me: foras- 
much as before him innocency was found in me; and 
also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt/^ Dan. 
6 : 20-22. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Carried away captive. Dan. i : 1-7. 

2. Daniel's stand for the right and its result. 
Dan. 1 : 8-20. 

3. Nebuchadnezzar's forgotten dream. Dan. 2: 
1-7, 13-16, 26-35. 

4. The interpretation. Dan. 2 : 36-45. 

5. The handwriting on the wall. Dan. 5 : 1-8, 
13-17, 25-31. 

6. A conspiracy against Daniel. Dan. 6: I-16. 

7. His deliverance. Dan. 6: 18-28. 

HERO STORY. 

Judah had been conquered, and her king with part 
of the people had been carried away captive to Baby- 
lon. The fairest and strongest of the children had 

115 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

been selected to be trained for the service of the king. 
These were fed from the king's table, and received the 
best of care, but some of these Hebrew boys remem- 
bered the things they had been taught In their own 
countr}', and Daniel determined that he would not eat 
the rich food, nor drink the wines, which he knew 
were wrong for him. He asked the prince of the 
eunuchs, who had charge of the bo^s, to let them have 
the simpler food which they were accustomed to eat. 
His request was granted for a time, and at the end of 
it, these bo5-s were found to be stronger and fairer 
than any of the others, so they were allowed to eat 
the pulse and drink water. 

As Daniel grew to manhood God gave to him 
great wisdom. ^\Tien all the magicians and astrologers 
of Babylon failed to tell the king his dream, and the 
Interpretation of It, God revealed It to Daniel, and he 
was made ruler over the whole province of Babylon, 
and chief of the wise men of the country-. Later he 
Interpreted the second dream of Nebuchadnezzar, and 
the handwriting on the wall at the feast of Belshazzar. 

Under Darius he was made first of the three presi- 
dents of the empire, but his success did not turn him 
away from the true God. The other presidents and 
the princes, however, became jealous of Daniel and 
determined to turn the king against him. At last they 
thought of a plan whereby they might both cause 
trouble for Daniel and at the same time bring them- 
selves into favor with the king. 

They knew the only way they could do anything 
against Daniel was through his religion, so they per- 
suaded the king to Issue an edict that for thirt}' days 
ii6 



Daniel A Hero with a Purpose 

everj^one must worship him. Of course Daniel con- 
tinued to worship God; three times a day he prayed 
to him as he was accustomed to do. The princes had 
been sure he would do this, and when it was too late 
the king discovered the strategy. He was very much 
displeased that he had not foreseen this, but on account 
of his signature to the decree he was powerless to save 
Daniel, who was thrown into the lions' den. But the 
God whom he served was greater than the lions, and 
he honored the faithfulness of Daniel by closing the 
mouths of the lions. 

The king did not serve Daniel's God, but in his 
heart he felt as though God surely must help his faith- 
ful follower, and great was his joy on going to the den 
to find Daniel still alive. He issued a new decree 
commanding all people to fear and worship the God 
of Daniel. 

After this time many visions were granted to 
Daniel, prophetic of the coming of Christ, and the 
influence of Christianity in the world. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

From Plans 4 and 16 not only can the journey of 
Daniel be shown and the city Babylon where he re- 
sided, but also Susa or Shushan where he once had a 

vision (Daniel 8:2). 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. By whom was Daniel carried captive to Baby- 
lon? 

2. Was this the final overthrow of the kingdom of 
Judah? 

117 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

3. How did God show his approval of the stand 
Daniel took about the food on the king's table ? 

4. Who was king when Daniel was thrown Into 
the lions' den? 

5. What other prophet mentions Daniel? Ezek. 

14: 14; 28:3. 

HEART TALK. 

Many a boy or girl makes up his mind to do or 
not to do certain things which are right or wrong, 
but Daniel not only made up his mind, but he held to 
It. A mind purpose is good, but the heart purpose Is 
the kind that is worth while. The boy who purposes 
In his heart to follow Christ will have no difficulty In 
deciding whether he will smoke cigarettes, or drink 
whiskey. He will know at once what God would 
have him to do, and do it. Have a purpose, yes, but 
have It In your heart and live up to it. 

PRAYER. 

^'O Lord hear; O Lord forgive; O Lord hearken 
and do!' "Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness 
because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before 
my face!' Dan. 9: 19; PsA. 5:8. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

8. The Captivity. 607 to 537 B. C. 

Jeremiah prophesied In Judah from reign of Joslah 

to that of Zedekiah. 
Captivity begun In reign of Jeholaklm. 607 B. C. 
Captivity complete, temple destroyed, and Jeru- 
salem burned in reign of Zedekiah. 588 B. C. 
118 



Daniel A Hero with a Purpose 

Jewish exiles settled on River Chebar. 

Ezekiel a preacher among the exiles. 

The story of Daniel. 

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 

Belshazzar last Chaldean king of Babylon. 

Darius the Mede becomes king of Babylon (under 

Cyrus?). 
Cyrus conqueror of Persia and Babylon. 



119 



Study XXIII. 

ESTHER'S QUEENLY HEROISM AT SHU- 
SHAN. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

''For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but 
whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall 
save it." Luke 9 : 24. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. Vashti dethroned. Esther i: 10-12, 19, 21. 

2. Esther chosen queen. Esther 2: 1-9, 15-17. 

3. Mordecai discovers a plot against the king. 
Esther 2: 21-23. 

4. Haman. Esther chapter 3. 

5. Mordecai's message to Esther. Esther chap- 
ter 4. 

6. Esther's intercession. Esther 5: 1-8; 7: 1-6. 

7. The Jews delivered. Esther chapter 8. 

HERO STORY. 

Among the people carried away captive from Jeru- 
salem by Nebuchadnezzar was the family of Abihail 
(Esther 9 : 29) . In the land of Persia a little daughter 
was born to them to whom they gave the name of 
Esther. 

While a little girl Esther was left an orphan and 
120 



Esther's Queenly Heroism at Shushan 

was adopted by her cousin Mordecai, who took care 
of her and taught her as his own child. She was a 
very pretty little girl and as she grew older became 
more and more beautiful. 

When the king of that country became angry with 
his queen and put her away from him, an order was 
sent out for the most beautiful maidens in the country 
to be brought to the palace that the king might select 
one for his queen. Esther was taken with many others 
and she was so gentle and beautiful that the moment 
king Ahasuerus saw her, he loved her, and she was 
made the queen and went to live in the palace at 
Shushan. 

Mordecai was one of the king's officers and was 
near her. One day he heard some men plotting against 
the king's life; he sent word to Esther and warned the 
king, who was so grateful to Mordecai that he had 
what he had done written down in the court records. 

Haman one of the king's high officers became 
angry with Mordecai because he would not bow down 
to him, and persuaded the king to sign a decree that 
all the Jews in the country should be killed on a cer- 
tain day. The king did not know at this time that 
Esther was a Jewess. 

As soon as Mordecai heard of this he sent word to 
Esther to intercede with the king for her people. At 
first she was very much afraid, because the king had 
not sent for her, and there was a law that any one 
who went into the king's presence unbidden should be 
put to death, unless he held out his golden scepter, and 
Esther knew that If she went in when he did not want 
to see her, she would be killed; beside that, she must 

121 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

tell the king that she was a Jewess, and that might 
make him so angry that he would kill her. 

But it was the only way to save her people; so 
after thinking about it, she decided that she must go, 
and told the messenger to say to Mordecai: "I will 
go in unto the king, which is not according to the law : 
and if I perish, I perish." Before going she asked all 
the Jews to fast and pray with her for three days. 
On the fourth day, dressed in her royal robes, the 
beautiful queen went to the king. Her heart must 
have stood still as she waited before him, but the 
prayers of her people were answered. The king ex- 
tended the golden scepter and asked her request. She 
invited him and Haman to a banquet in her palace, 
and when they came invited them again for the next 
day. 

At that time she told the king of Haman's plot 
and begged for the lives of her people. The king be- 
came very angry with Haman and ordered him to be 
executed. Then he remembered what Mordecai had 
done for him and gave him Haman's place. The de- 
cree that he had issued against the Jews could not be 
changed, but he told Mordecai to issue a second decree, 
warning the Jews and telling them to fight for their 
lives, and in this way God answered prayer and en- 
abled Esther to save her people. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

Plan 1 6 gives the location of Shushan where Esther 
was queen, and it also shows a large part of the terri- 
tory then under the power of the Persian kings through 

122 



Esther's Queenly Heroism at Shushan 

which the decree against the Jews had gone out, and 
which her brave deed overcame. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. What was the relation of Esther to Alordecai? 

2. What argument did Mordecai use to persuade 
Esther to intercede with the king? 

3. What plan did Esther use to secure a favorable 
hearing with the king? 

4. How was Mordecai honored? 

5. What was the fate of Haman? 

HEART TALK. 

Sometimes it seems necessary for us to do very hard 
things, things that we are afraid to do, not that our 
lives will be in danger, but our pleasure, comfort, or 
friendships may be. If it is God's w^ork, unless we 
are willing to trust God with the outcome and go 
ahead, some one else will have the honor. God never 
fails those who "dare" for him, even though they may 
be afraid. 

PRAYER. 

"Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I 
beseech thee, send nozv prosperity" PsA. 118:25. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

The Captivity. 607 to 537 B. C. 

Jeremiah prophesied in Judah from reign of Josiah 

to that of Zedekiah. 
Captivity begun in reign of Jehoiakim. 607 B. C. 
Captivity complete, temple destroj^d, and Jeru- 
salem burned in reign of Zedekiah. 588 B. C. 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

Jewish exiles settled on River Chebar. 

Ezekiel a preacher among the exiles. 

The story of Daniel. 

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 

Darius the Mede becomes king of Babylon (under 

Cyrus?). 
Cyrus conquerer of Persia and Babylon. 
Ahasuerus a later successor of Cyrus. 
Esther a Jewish girl born in exile, made queen, 

saves the people. 



124 



Study XXIV. 

NEHEMIAH A HEROIC BUILDER OF THE 
WALLS. 

MEMORY VERSE. 

"Go your way eat the fat, and drink the sweet, 
and send portions unto them for zchojn nothing is pre- 
pared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither he 
ye sorry ; for the joy of the Lord is your strength" 
Neh. 8: 10. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. A message to Nehemiah. Neh. i : 1-4. 

2. Appointed governor of Judah. Neh. 2 : 1-8. 

3. Nehemiah in Jerusalem. Neh. 2:11-16. 

4. A proposition to build the wall. Neh. 2: 17-19. 

5. Opposition. Neh. 4:6-8, 16-23. 

6. The dedication of the wall. Neh. 12:27, 31, 
38-40, 43- 

7. The observance of the Sabbath. Neh. 13 : 15-21. 

HERO STORY. 

The kingdom of Israel has filled the measure of 
its wickedness and been carried away into captivity. 
Judah too has turned away from God and is an exile 
people. But the seventy years prophesied by Jeremiah 
are now past, and the promise of a better day is being 
fulfilled. Two companies of the people have been 

125 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

allowed to return to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel and 
Ezra, and the temple has been rebuilt, at least in part, 
and some measure of reform carried out, but the walls 
of the city are still in ruins. Messengers bring word 
to Nehemiah who serves as cup-bearer to the king 
of Persia, of the sad condition of things in Jerusalem, 
and he feels that he must go back and help make the 
city as strong as it once was. 

When the right time comes he makes his request 
of the king, who hears him kindly and appoints him 
governor of Judea. He also supplies him with an 
escort, passports, and letters to the keeper of his forests, 
giving him orders to supply him with timber. 

Nehemiah's great work was the rebuilding of the 
city wall. He felt that this alone could preserve the 
religious customs and make sure the future independ- 
ence of his people. 

Reaching Jerusalem he at once met with opposition 
from the Samaritans and other enemies. By night, 
and alone, he went out and viewed the city walls 
(Neh. 2:12); he saw where the gates had been 
carried away and the walls broken down. No one 
knew his plans until he called the people together and 
told them what he had found, and proposed to them 
to rebuild the wall. The work was begun with a 
will, ''for the people had a mind to work," but as soon 
as his foes heard of it they began to make trouble. 
Nehemiah was obliged to divide his men, half of them 
being detailed for work, and half to stand guard and 
protect the walls. Those who worked on the walls 
carried their tools in one hand and weapons in the 
other, and in this way the walls were built. It might 
126 



Nehemlah A Heroic Builder of the Walls 






v^jalls 



^SHEEP GATE 







Plan 17.- The Two Companies Walking on the Walls. 

seem a slow way of working, but God gave speed to 
their hands, and In a very short time, only fifty-two 
days, the wall was completed and Jerusalem once 
more claimed the dlgnlt}^ of being a walled city. 

Nehemlah then returned to the service of the king 
of Persia for a time, but later went again to Jerusalem 
and brought about a number of reforms, among them 
the observance of the Sabbath. To do this he ordered 



127 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

the gates of the city closed the evening before and 
would not allow them opened until the morning fol- 
lowing the Sabbath-day. At first the merchants came 
just the same and waited outside the gates, but Nehe- 
miah soon put a stop to that. The story of the good 
work he did may be found in the book bearing his 
name, but of the latter part of his life little is known. 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

Before Nehemiah tried to rebuid the walls of Jeru- 
salem, he went out one night by the Valley Gate to 
see how bad the ruined walls were. He rode as far as 
the Fountain Gate and then there was so much rubbish 
that he had to go on foot up along the brook Kidron. 
Then he returned and rode back by the way he came. 
In Plan 17 this night trip is shown by sections i, 2, 
3, 4. After the walls were rebuilt there was a grand 
dedication. Nehemiah started at the head of one com- 
pany from the Valley Gate and went on the top of the 
wall round to the Sheep Gate and then down into the 
Temple Court (sections 7, 8). Ezra led another com- 
pany from the same starting-point round to where a 
stairs went up into the old city of David. There his 
company left the wall, and took the street just inside, 
and marched on up to the Temple Court (sections 
5, 6). With the grand singing, it must have been a 
time of great rejoicing. The class artist may study the 
account in Neh. xii, 27-43, and put in other gates and 
towers from Plan 15 in Study XVII. 



128 



Nehemiah A Heroic Builder of the Walls 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

T- Who brought news from Jerusalem to Nehe- 
miah? 

2. How did the king know there was anything 
troubling Nehemiah? 

3. What other leader did Nehemiah find in Jeru- 
salem ? 

4. Who took part in the dedication of the wall? 

5. What form of breaking the Sabbath did Nehe- 
miah stop ? 

HEART TALK. 

Nehemiah purposed in his heart to rebuild the walls 
of Jerusalem. He believed that it was the right thing 
to do. He met with difficulties on every hand, but 
pushed straight ahead. Sometimes it may be necessary 
to work with weapons in one hand and tools in the 
other, but where "there is a will there is a way." A 
firm determination and courage to stand by it brings 
success. A knowledge that God is back of our deter- 
mination gives strength and courage to hold firmly, or 
in the words of Paul to "Stand fast . . . quit 
you like men, be strong." 

PRAYER. 

^'Remember me, O my God, for good!' Neh. 
13:31. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

8. The Restoration after Seventy Years' Exile. 
537 B.C. 
The first company returns with ZerubbabeL 
9 129 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

The second returns with Ezra. . 

Jerusalem is partially rebuilt and temple restored. 

The third company returns with Nehemiah. 

The walls rebuilt. 

Prophets of this period : % 

Haggai, 

Zachariah, 

Malachi. 



130 



Study XXV. 

THE HERO OF HEROES PICTURED IN 
THE OLD TESTAMENT. 

MEMORY VERSES. 

"For unto us a child is horn, unto us a son is 
given, and the government shall h'e upon his shoulder:- 
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, 
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince 
of Peace.'' IsA. 9 : 6. 

"For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, 
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11. 

BIBLE PICTURE. 

1. The first prophecy. Gen. 3: 15. 

2. Birth and dominion. Isa. 9:6, 7. 

3. Wisdom and judgment. Isa. 11:1-5. 

4. The good Shepherd. Psa. 23. 

5. The suffering Saviour. Isa. 53 : 1-8, 

6. Obedient unto death. Isa. 53:9-12. 

7. Christ's kingdom. Isa. 35. 

HERO STORY. 

Every nation has its heroes, whom it loves to honor, 
but in many nations may be found one hero greater 
than all others and to whom a greater love and honor 
is given. Israel had her heroes, Noah, Joseph and 

131 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

David, Amos, Isaiah and many others whom even 
to-day not only the Jews, but the whole world honors ; 
but Israel too had her hero of heroes. Joseph lived 
before the Exodus and his work was finished. Jere- 
miah prophesied in Judah, but Judah was captured 
and his mission was ended, Esther saved a few thou- 
sand of her people, but only one little book tells of her 
history. 

From the first book of the Old Testament to the 
last the great hero of Israel is the central subject; to 
him all books point, before the Exodus ; during the time 
of the Judges, the Divided Kingdom, and the Exile, he 
is still the hero to whom the people turned again and 
again, and whom all love to honor. The remarkable 
part of it was that no one had even seen this hero of 
heroes, the Messiah who was to come, and who, as the 
supreme test of his heroism, was to give his life a 
ransom for many. In him are found all the elements 
of heroism which have been found in the others, but 
with this difference; while each one of these possesses 
some of the characteristics of greatness, in this greatest 
of heroes all are combined, not one is missing. 

In the very first reference to him in Genesis the 
message is that his life is to be one of conflict, but- that 
in the end he will be the victor. Speaking to the ser- 
pent God says, ''I will put enmity between thee and 
the woman, betw^een thy seed and her seed; it shall 
bruise thy head, but thou shalt bruise its heel." 

In the twenty-third Psalm David says that this 

hero is to possess all the elements of true leadership as 

symbolized In the type of the good shepherd; Isaiah 

tells that he will be obedient even unto death (Isa. 

132 



The Hero of Heroes 

53:10-12). His marvelous courage is portrayed in 
the picture of his sufferings for others, in all of which 
he does not utter one word of murmuring or complaint, 
nor does he attempt any self-defense (Isa. 53:3-7). 
As a hero of truth he excels Samuel (Isa. 53:9) ; in 
wisdom and judgment he outranks Solomon (Isa. 11: 
1-4) ; in self-sacrifice, he not only risks his life as did 




"H 1 s name sh an_ endure forey ^ 
— ". : .u-ii ^r.11 him bless e d '.'- 



*//■ 



rbeutT 



his name S nan enuure fuicv cf^^ 

Wot 



indev 



fu 



\..mi^t>^V' 



JdfPnnce 



\N 



X"^ 



\.V\e 



c\o^ 



a^ 



^^^^\ 



en- 



.^a' 



Xi^' 



Plan 18. The Greatest Hero that was to Come. 



Esther, but he gives it. Like Jeremiah, "he is de- 
spised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and 
acquainted with grief." To show that there could be 
no greater love than that shown by our greatest hero, 
the prophet declares that to serve others he will suffer 
the greatest injustice and crown all acts of heroism 
by giving his life for the transgressions of his people 
(Isa. 53:8). To this hero of heroes will be given 
the victory of all victories, for ''the government shall 

^33 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 

be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called 
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The ever- 
lasting Father, The Prince of Peace," and this victory 
was to be not for a short time as in the case of Deborah, 
of "Gideon, or of David, for *'Of the increase of his 
government and peace there shall be no end, upon the 
throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, 
and to establish it w^ith judgment and w^ith justice 
from henceforth even forever." 

CRAYON AND PENCIL. 

As one goes from one book to another of the Old 
Testament, it is w^onderful to see how many men of 
those early times had some idea of a great heroic 
leader who was yet to come. Jacob, Moses, the psalm- 
ists, and the prophets all speak of him, of his name and 
his glory, and the blessings he is going to bring. How 
they were able through the Holy Spirit to catch some 
glimpse of the coming Christ is seen in their words as 
given in Plan i8. 

SEARCH QUESTIONS. 

1. What was the first prophecy relating to Christ? 

2. Where is the place of his birth foretold? 

3. What chapter in Isaiah is all a Messianic 
prophecy ? 

4. Name three prophets who prophesied of Christ. 

5. Who is called the Messianic prophet? 

HEART TALK. 

In each of the heroes about whom we have studied 
we have found something to admire, something to want 

134 



The Hero of Heroes 

to be like, but to be the greatest heroes we must have 
the greatest example. Shall we to-day take the Mes- 
siah, Christ, as our ideal, and try to so shape our lives 
by his that each day some one will be able to write 
the word hero after our name? As we watch and 
study his life, we shall see that he was an every-day 
hero. Shall we enlist to-day as every-day heroes, with 
the great Hero of all Heroes as our leader? 

PRAYER. 

*'Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: 
turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender 
mercieS''' "I will behold thy face in righteousness : I 
shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness/* 
PsA. 69: 16; 17: 15. 

HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

1. The Creation. 

2. The Flood. 

3. The Exodus. 

4. The Conquest. 

5. The United Kingdom. 

6. The Divided Kingdom. Israel. 

7. The Divided Kingdom. Judah. 

8. The Captivity. 

9. The Restoration. 

10. Christ the Hero of Heroes. 



135 



APPENDIX 

Historical Outline of the Old Testament 
FROM Creation to Christ. 

(The dates given are according to Ussher.) 

1. From the Creation to the Flood. 4004 to 2348 B. C. 

The disobedience and fall of Adam and Eve. 

The expulsion from Eden. 

Cain and Abel. 

The birth of Shem. 

The translation of Enoch. 

Increasing wickedness. 

Noah prepares the ark. 

2. From the Flood to the Exodus. 2348 to 149 i B. C. 

The tower of Babel. 

The call of Abraham. 

The sojourn of Abraham in the Promised Land. 

The stories of Isaac and Jacob. 

Joseph sold into Egypt. 

The descent of Jacob and his family into Egypt. 

The oppression of the Israelites. 

The birth and call of Moses. 

The plagues. 

3. From the Exodus to the Conquest. 1491 to 145 i B. C. 

The Law given at Mount Sinai and the Tabernacle 

set up. 
The wanderings in the wilderness. 
The death of Moses. 
Joshua appointed leader. 

136 



Appendix 

4. From the Conquest to the United Kingdom. 1451 to 

1095 B. C. 

The crossing of the Jordan. 

Jericho taken. 

The main conquest of the Promised Land. 

The land divided among the tribes. 

Hebron given to Caleb. 

Cities of Refuge selected. 

The period of the Judges. 

Continued conquest of the land. 

The greatest of the fifteen Judges: Deborah, Gideon, 

Jephthah, Samson, and Samuel. 
The story of Ruth. 
Samuel the last of the Judges. 

5. From the United Kingdom to the Divided Kingdom. 

1095 TO 975 B. C. 

Samuel the first of the prophets. 

The schools of the prophets established. 

Saul the first king. 

The friendship of David and Jonathan. 

David chosen king. 

Nathan the prophet. 

Death of Absalom. 

Solomon the successor of David. 

The temple built. 

Idolatry introduced. 

6 and 7. From the Divided Kingdom to the Captivity. 
975 TO 607-588 B. C. 

Israel made captive. 721 B. C. 
Judah made completely captive. 



137 



Short Studies of Old Testament Heroes 



Israel — Ten Tribes. 



JuDAH — Two Tribes. 



Kings. 



Prophets. 



Kings. 



Prophets. 



Jeroboam, 



Nadab, 
Baasha, 
Elah, . 
Zimri, . 
Omri, . 
Ahab. . 



Elijah, 



Ahaziah, 
Jehoram, 



Elisha. 



Jehu, 



Jehoahaz, 
Jehoash, 



Jeroboam II, 



Zechariah, . . 

Shallum, . . . 

Menahem, . . 

Pekahiah, . . 

Pekah, . . . 



Amos, 
Hosea, 



Hoshea, . . 
(Israel Made 
Captive) , 



Rehoboam, 
Abijah, . 
Asa, . . 



Jehoshaphat, 



Jehoram, 



Ahaziah, 
Athaliah (Queen) 
Joash, . . . 



Amaziah, 



Joel, 



Uzziah, 



Jotham, 
Ahaz, . 



Isaiah, 
Micah, 



Hezekiah, . 
Manasseh, . 
Amon, . . 
Josiah, . • 
Jehoahaz, 
Jehoiakim, . 
Jehoiachin, . 
Zedekiah, . 
(Judah Made 
Captive, . 



Nahum, . 
Zephaniah, 
Habakkuk, 



Jeremiah. 



138 



Appendix 

From the Captivity to the Restoration. 607 to 537 B. C. 

Judah's captivity by Nebuchadnezzar begun in 607, when 

Daniel and others are taken to Babylon. 
Judah's captivity enlarged in 597, when Ezekiel and 

others are settled on the River Chebar, southeast of 

Babylon. 
Judah's captivity complete in 588, when Jerusalem and 

the temple are destroyed and most of the people are 

taken to Babylon. 
Prophets of the Captivity: 

Jeremiah, 

Ezekiel, 

Obadiah. 



9. From the Restoration to the Coming of Christ. 537 to 

5 B. C. 

The first company returns with Zerubbabel. 

The second company returns with Ezra. 

Jerusalem is partially rebuilt and the temple restored. 

The third company returns with Neheraiah. 

The walls rebuilt. 

Prophets of the Restoration: 

Haggai, 

Zachariah, 

Malachi. 

10. The Coming of Christ, the Hero of Heroes. 5 B. C. 



139 



INDEX 



Abel 3, 17-21 

Abel-meholah, 86 

Abihail, 120 

Abraham, 27-32 

Absalom, 78 

Adam, .... 12-18, 22, 27 

Adonijah, 78 

Ahab, 83, 84, 86 

Altars, to God, . .24, 28, 84 

To false gods, 81, 84,' 103, 

106, 110 

Amalekites, 53 

Amaziah, 89 

Amon, 103 

Amos, 3, 88-91 

Book of, . . .90, 113, 132 

Animals, The, 12 

Ararat, Mount, 23 

Archery, 73 

Ark, The, 22-25 

Amon River, ...... 60 

Asher, Tribe of, 54 

Assyria, Assyrians, . . 92, 95 

Baal, Altar of, . . . .54, 84 
Prophets of, ... . 84, 86 
Babylon, 107, 108,111,113, 

115, 116 

Barak, 49-52 

Barley harvest, 58 

Baruch, 107 

Bathsheba, 78 

Battlefield prepared, . . 11-16 

Beersheba, 30 

Belshazzar, . 116 

Benjamin, Tribe of, . . . 49 

Bethel, 65, 89, 90 

Bethlehem, . 57, 58, 61, 71, 90 

Bethshan, 76 

Beth-shemesh, ...... 66 



Bible, . . . . . . . . .103 

Authorized Version, . . 4 

Course, 3 

Picture, 4 

Revised Version, ... 4 

Boaz, 59-61 

Cain, 17-21 

Caleb, 44 

Canaan, 34, 40, 48 

Conquest of, 44 

Canaanites, The, .... 49 

Canals, 15, 113 

Captivity, The, . . . 108-125 
Carmel, Mount, . . 51, 84, 86 

Chariots, 51, 104 

Chebar, River or canal. 111, 113 

Cherith, Brook, 86 

Cherubim, The, ... 14, 93 
Chosen people of God, . . 27 
Christ, Jesus, Messiah, 14, 

64, 77, 95, 117, 131-135 

Class Artist, 4 

Courage, 44, 47, 52, 66, 

68-72, 91, 95, 129, 132 
Covenants, .... 24, 74, 75 
Crayon and Pencil, ... 4 

Creation, The, 27 

Cubit, The, 25 

Dan, City of, 30, 88 

Daniel, 3, 115-119 

David, 3, 60, 65, 68-72, 74, 

75, 78-81, 132, 134 
Darius, ........ 116 

Dead Sea, 40 

Deborah, 48-51,134 

Dedication of v^^alls of Jeru- 
salem, 128 

Dibon, 61 



141 



Index 



Disobedience, . . . 13-17, 111 
Divided Kingdom, The, . 132 
Dothan, Plain of, . . . 34, 35 
Dove sent from ark, . . 23, 24 
Dry Bones, Parable of, . . 112 

Ebal, Mount, 46 

Ebenezer, 66 

Edrei, Battle of, 46 

Egypt, .... 30, 33-40, 92 
Egyptians, . . .37, 104, 108 

Eli, 63, 64 

Elihu, 99 

Elijah, 83-87 

Elimelech, 57 

Elkanah, 63 

Enoch, 22 

Ephraim, Tribe of, . . . 49 
Esdraelon, Plain of, . . . 51 
Esther, . . 120-124, 132, 133 
Euphrates, River, .... 15 

Valley, 29 

Eve, 12-16 

Exile, Exiles, The, 111,113-125 

Exodus, The, 132 

Ezekiel, 110-114 

Ezion-geber, 40 

Ezra, 126, 128 

Faith, ... 21, 28, 29, 44, 95 

Fleece, Test by, 54 

Flood, The, 23, 24 

Fountain Gate, 128 

Friends, Friendship, . . 74-77 
Fruit, The forbidden, . 13, 16 

Garden of Eden, . . . 12-15 
Gates of Jerusalem, . . . 128 

Gerar, 30 

Gerizim, Mount, .... 46 

Gibeah, 75 

Gideon, 53-56, 134 

Gihon River, 15 

Gilboa, Mount, .... 55, 76 

Gilead, 84, 86 

Gilgal, 46, 65, 66 

God, 3, 12-15, 38-40, 98- 

100, 116, 117 



Gods, Heathen, ..... 81 

Golden calves, 88 

Goliath, 69, 71 

Good and evil, 12, 15, 89, 91 
Goshen 35, 50 

Haman, 121-123 

Hannah, 63 

Haran, 30 

Harod, Well of, 55 

Harosheth, 51 

Hazor, 51 

Heart Talk, S 

Hebrew boys 116 

Hebron, ... 30, 35, 44, 71 

Hero Story, 4 

Heshbon, 61 

Hezekiah, 94 

Hiddekel River, 15 

Hilkiah, 103 

Holy Spirit, ... 5, 96, 134 
Hormah, 40 

Indians, 17 

Isaac, 28, 29 

Isaiah, .... 3, 92-96, 132 
Israel, Israelites, 37-55, 65, 

74,131. See also ^z«^- 

dom of Israel. 
Issachar, Tribe of, ... . 49 

Jabesh-gilead, .... 76, 86 

Jabin, 51 

Jacob, 134 

Jael, 51 

Jahaz, Battle of, 46 

Jehoahaz 107 

Jehoiakim, 107, 111 

Jeremiah, 106-109, 111, 113, 

132, 133 

Jericho, 44 

Jeroboam, 88 

Jeroboam II 89, 90 

Jerusalem, 30, 71, 90, 95, 
104, 108, no; 113, 114, 

120, 126-129 
Jethro, 38 



142 



Index 



PAGE 

Jews, The, 108, 113, 121- 

123, 132 
Jezreel, City, . , . .106, 104 

Valley, ■ • 55 

Job, 98-101 

Jonathan, 69-73 

Jordan River, . 40, 44, 46, 55 
Joseph, . . . 32-37, 131, 132 

Joshua, 43-47 

Josiah, ... 3, 102-106, 111 

Jotham, 94 

Judah. Site Kingdom of 
Judah . 

Judea, 125 

Judges, .... 48-56, 63-67 

Kadesh-barnea, 40 

Kedesh, 51 

Kidron, Brook, 128 

Kingdom of Israel, 88-90, 

104, 113, 125 
Kingdom of Judah, 89, 90, 
92-94, 102-104, 107, 

115, 125, 132 
Kishon River, 51 

Lamps and pitchers, ... 54 

Laws at Sinai, 38 

Lions' den, 117 

Lot, 28, 30 

Love, . . 61, 68-72, 74, 133 
Loyalty, 68-72 

Mamre, 30 

Manasseh, King, . . 95, 103 

Tribe of, 49, 54 

Medeba, 61 

Mediterranean Sea, ... 86 

Megiddo, 104 

Memory Verses, 4 

Mephibosheth, .... 75 

Methuselah, 22, 27 

Midian, Midianites, 34, 35, 

38, 53-56. 

Mizpah, 66 

Moab, Moabites, . 57, 60, 62 
Moon worshipers, .... 27 
Mordecai, 121-123 



PAGE 

Moreh, Hill of, 55 

Moses 37-44, 134 

Naomi, . 57-61 

Naphtali, Tribe of, . . 49, 54 
Nathan, the Prophet, . 69, 79 

Nebo, Mount, 40 

Nebuchadnezzar, . . Ill, 116 

Nehemiah 125-130 

Nippur, 113 

Noah, .... 22-24, 27, 131 

Obed, 60 

Obedience, .... 30, 41, 91 
Offerings, 18-21, 24, 63, 84, 85 

Old Testament, 93 

A Book of Heroes, . 3, 132 
Orpah, 58, 61 

Palace of Solomon, ... 80 
Palestine, 30, 92 

Battlefield of, 51 

Paton, John G., 109 

Persia, Persian, 120, 122, 

126, 127 
Philistines, 69 

Way of Philistines, . . 35 
Pharaoh, 33, 34, 38 

Necho, 104 

Potiphar, ........ 33 

Prayer, ... 64, 80, 117, 122 
** Prince of Peace," ... 134 
Promised Land, The, 30, 44, 48 
Prophets, 49, 64, 65, 69, 79, 

83-97, 103, 106, 134 
Purpose, .... 115, 123, 129 

Rainbow, 24 

Ramah, 65 

Ravens feeding Elijah, . . 84 

Red Sea, 40 

Rehoboam, . . . 81, 88, 102 
Return of Judah from cap- 
tivity, 126 

Right, righteousness, 3, 20, 

23, 79, 87, 99, 104 
Ruth, 58-61 



^43 



Index 



PAGE 

Sabbath observance, . . . 127 
Samaritans, The, .... 126 

Samson," 49 

Samuel, 63-67, 133 

Satan, 16, 98, 99 

Saul, 65, 73, 74 

Schools of the prophets, . 65 
Search Questions, .... 5 

Self-control, 56 

Self-sacrifice, _ 133 

Serpent tempting Eve, 12- 

16, 132 
Sheba, Queen of, ... . 79 
Shechem, ...... 30, 35 

Sheep Gate, 128 

Shem, 27 

Shiloh, 63, 65 

Shur, Way of, ^35 

Shushan or Susa, . . 117, 122 
Sin, .... 14, 16, 17, 69, 99 
Sinai, Mount, ... 38, 40, 86 
Singing at dedication of the 

walls, 128 

Sisera, 49-51 

Solomon, . . .71, 78-82, 133 
Spies sent to view land, 40, 

44, 45 

Stairs, ; 128 

Steamship and ark, ... 25 
Suffering, 99, 133 

Tabernacle, The, . 40, 63-65 

Tahpanhes, 108 

Tanis, 35 

Tekoa, 89 

Telabib, 113 

Temple, The, 80, 93, 103, 

108, 111, 128 



PAGE 

Temptation, 16, 72 

Ten Commandments, The, 38 

Terah, 29 

Tigris River, 15 

Towers of Jerusalem, . . 128 
Tribes of Israel, 37, 40, 44, 

48, 49 

Trumpets, 54 

Truth and truthfulness, 63- 

66, 133 

Ur, 27 

Uz, Land of, ... . 98, 100 
Uzziah, 92 

Valley Gate, 128 

Walls of Jerusalem rebuilt 

and rededicated, . 126-128 
Watchman, The prophet 

as, Ill 

Wicked, wickedness, 22, 23, 

89, 103, 104 

Wisdom, . 79, 81, 82, 116, 133 

Of a wrong kind, . .13, 16 

Work, ... 13, 18, 126, 127 

Worship, 18, 69, 89, 106, 

110, 113, 117 
Wrong, 13, 79 

Zarephath, 84, 86 

Zebulum, Tribe of, . . 49, 54 

Zedekiah, 107 

Zerubbabel, 126 

Ziklag, 71 

Zoan, 35 



144 



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